OR 


An  Experiment  in  Lov6 


A  REALISTIC  ROMANCE 


"MISS  INCOGNITA" 

AN 

\jl\, 

EXPERIMENT     IN     LOVE 

By  "DON  JON." 

A  Realistic  Romance  Based  Upon  the  Laws  and 
Phenomena   of   Psychotism. 

|H 

& 

Illustrating  the  Control  of  the  Love  and 
Emotions  of  Another. 

Sixth  Edition,  Enlarged 

THE  PSYCHIC  PUBLISHING  Co.,  Box  935,  ROME,  GA. 

COPYRIGHT,  1904 

BY 
THE  PSYCHIC  PUBLISHING  Co. 


All  Rights  Reserved. 


Press  of  The  A.  J.  Showalter,  Co.  Dalton,  Ota, 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  I.                          PAGE 
The  Meeting  of  the  Four 7 

CHAPTER  II. 
Dumas,    the    Mystic 16 

CHAPTER  III. 

fij*            The   Scene   in   the  Laboratory — The   Visit   to   the 
£  Invalid    29 

K  CHAPTER  IV. 

A  Game  of  Hearts — Who  Will  Prove  the  Winner?  35 

CHAPTER  V. 

The  Theory  of  Vibrations— The  Vibratoners — The 
S?  Attempted   Crime    41 

CHAPTER  VI. 

==  Ignorantia  Juris  Non  Excusat — The  Operation  of 
a  Strange  Law — In  the  Course  of  Human 
Events  •.  54 

g  CHAPTER  VII. 

*:  Another  Mystery    71 

A  CHAPTER  VIII. 

K  Forewarnings     85 

CHAPTER   IX. 
A  Desperate  Experiment    94 


5000239 
1GQ4GQ 


xii  Contents 

CHAPTER  X.                        PAGE 
The   Fatal    Termination    104 

CHAPTER   XI. 
The  Inquisition    .  .  .117 

CHAPTER  XII. 
In   England    126 

CHAPTER   XIII. 
Sealed  with  an  Oath    136 

CHAPTER   XIV. 
The  Denouement 143 

CHAPTER  XV. 
A  Miracle  in  the  Sea   154 

CHAPTER   XVI. 

The  End  of  an  Experiment 16'i 

CHAPTER   XVII. 
Miss  Incognita — Colonel  Fortune 182 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 
Terms  of  Adoption    188 

CHAPTER   XIX. 
A  Single  Woman's  Establishment 195 

CHAPTER  XX. 
A  Lawyer  Outwitted   207 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

The  Call  on  Mrs.  John  Smith. .  .  .212 


Contents  xiii 

CHAPTER  XXII.                     PAGE 
A  Revelation  210 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 
The  Events  of  the  Year  1889 224 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

Unexpressed  Sentiments — -A  Journey  for  «  Pur- 
pose   234 

CHAPTER  XXV. 
The  Betrothal   240 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 
Judge  Not   249 

CHAPTER  XXVII. 
The  beginning  of  the  End 258 

CHAPTER  XXVIII. 
A  Foretaste  of  Retribution   265 

CHAPTER  XXIX. 
After-Scenes — Eros's  Discovery 2(39 

CHAPTER  XXX. 

The  Events  of  the  Day  After  the  Wedding— The 
Letter  from  the  Demented  Lady 281 

CHAPTER  XXXI. 
Changed  Relations  291 

CHAPTER  XXXII. 
The  Somnambule    .  ..302 


INTRODUCTION 


WHERE  in  the  history  of  literature  do  you  find 
an  author  who  has  had  the  daring,  originality  and 
audacity  to  allow  his  hero  to  marry  his  own 
daughter,  then  has  her  elope  with  her  own  brother, 
and  yet  posseses  the  genius  to  so  shape  his 
story  as  to  violate  no  sense  of  propriety?  Such 
is  the  case  in  this  remarkable  book,  which  will 
appeal  to  all  classes,  as  it  embodies  every  emotion 
and  situation  known  to  humanity. 

It  is  written  so  skillfully,  and  the  tale  is  so 
feasible  that  it  staggers  one  to  think  of  the  possi- 
ble circumstances  which  might  very  naturally  cause 
such  relations  to  exist. 

The  plot  is  deep-laid,  and  until  the  last  page 
is  finished  it  is  impossible  to  imagine  how  the  tangle 
of  episodes  will  be  unravelled.  The  scenes  are 
laid  in  Chicago,  New  York,  London  and  the  Ber- 
muda Islands. 

The  book  is  full  of  the  most  startling  pictures, 
but  the  master  hand  that  drew  them  treats  his 


xvi  Introduction 

subject  with  such  consummate  art  that,  although 
the  reader  holds  his  breath,  fearing  to  read  the 
succeeding  lines,  he  finds  they  relieve  with  light- 
ning rapidity  the  frightful  shock  to  the  sense  of 
propriety  which  seems  inevitable. 

In  the  entire  book  there  is  not  a  word  nor  a 
line  but  would  meet  and  satisfy  the  fiery  eye  of 
the  critic  or  stand  the  scorching  test  of  the 
pedant. 

It  is  wonderfully  interesting,  dr-amatic,  amus- 
ing and  witty.  The  rarity  of  characters  and 
multitude  of  events  would  make  food  enough 
for  dozens  of  novels  and  dramas.  The  practi- 
cally unknown  science  of  hypnotism  plays  a  veiy 
important  part  in  this  story.  The  hero,  Dr.  Dumas, 
afterward  Lord  Eroslove,  who  learns  much  of  this 
mysticism  from  an  old  Egyptian,  uses  his  wonder- 
ful knowledge  with  most  dastardly  effect,  showing 
what  fearful  use  can  be  made  of  this  power  by  an 
evil  person. 

The  character  of  Svengali,  in  "Trilby,"  is  a 
puppet  compared  to  this  remarkable  man.  He  is 
as  fascinating  as  he  is  dangerous,  as  heartless  as 
he  is  magnetic;  but  his  marvelous  powers,  strength 
and  knowledge  make  him  almost  irresistable.  It 
would  be  impossible  to  build  a  stronger  character 


Introduction  xvii 

than  his,  or  that  of  his  wife,  whose  s-w^eet,  gentle 
nature,  through  his  infamy  toward  her,  is  changed 
to  one  of  a  deadly,  unquenchable  thirst  for  revenge, 
which  she  heaps  upon  him  in  such  volcanic  force 
that  his  strength  weakens  and  his  power  becomes 
shattered  before  her  merciless  fury. 

At  a  recent  meeting  of  the  Nineteenth  Cen- 
tury Club,  where  some  of  the  most  renowned 
litterateurs  of  America  and  Europe  were  gathered, 
to  discuss  the  subject  of  "The  Disappearance  of 
Literature,"  a  man  arose  whose  name  is  a  house- 
hold word  on  two  continents,  whose  originality 
and  art  are  as  great  as  his  fame,  who  has  worn 
the  brilliant  laurels  of  success,  outlived  with  phe- 
nominal  bravery  the  black  abyss  of  defeat,  and 
returned  to  us  after  ten  years  of  study  and  travel 
the  same  genius — Mark  Twain.  He  made  the  almost 
increditable  statement  that  although  there  are  ten 
thousand  books  published  annually  in  this  country 
and  Great  Britain,  in  forty-eight  years  there  has 
not  been  one  worthy  contribution  to  literature  that 
is  a  masterpiece. 

If  originality  is  the  triumph  of  genius  this  re- 
markable book  should  attract  world-wide  atten- 
tion. 

Though   the    author   modestly   conceals  his  iden- 


xviii  Introduction 

tity  under  the  nom-de-plume  of  "Don  Jon,"  he 
proves  himself  (or  herself)  a  person  of  the  deep- 
est appreciation  of  the  strength  and  weaknesses 
of  men  and  women.  He  is  thoroughly  familiar 
with  the  world  and  its  ways,  and  is  a  deep  student 
of  the  mystic  art  of  mesmerism  or  hypnotism, 
which  makes  this  story  most  valuable,  for  it  gives 
authenticity  and  realism  to  a  science  which  many 
believe  does  not  even  exist. 

The  charming  heroine,  a  young  Southern  girl, 
is  ardently  wooed  by  a  plain,  honest,  practical  man, 
Dr.  Lindsay,  whose  affection  shows  unmistakable 
signs  of  being  returned,  when  a  very  dramatic, 
remarkable  scene  plunges  the  reader  into  the  greatest 
excitement.  Dr.  Dumas,  determined  to  possess  this 
beautiful  girl  and,  unable  to  win  her  heart,  vil- 
lainously invites  her  to  his  wonderful  laboratory 
(where  she  has  been  taking  lessons  from  him  in 
chemistry),  under  pretext  of  teaching  her  some  of 
the  mysteries  of  psychology,  but,  instead,  by  means 
of  his  occult  power  and  the  use  of  what  he  calls 
his  "vibratoners,"  which  he  puts  in  motion,  she  is 
brought  completely  under  his  influence  and  un- 
consciously yields  to  his  licentious  embraces.  This 
remarkable  scene  is  most  realistically  described, 
while  the  power  and  danger  of  such  awful  pos- 


Introduction  xix 

sibilities  make  one  shudder  at  the  thought  <of 
such  knowledge  (which  is  well  known  to  the 
initiated)  being  possessed  by  an  unprincipled,  evil 
mind. 

Dr.  Dumas  further  seeks  to  entrap  his  victim 
into  a  mock  marriage,  but  through,  the  cunning 
of  his  rival,  Dr.  Lindsay,  it  becomes  a  legal  tie, 
and  consequently  the  pivot  on  which  turn  all  the 
succeeding  events. 

The  story  then  becomes  a  deadly  battle  of  virtue 
and  right  against  perfidity  and  dishonor,  which  the 
author  has  pictured  in  a  most  graphic,  forceful 
manner.  This  is  the  great  moral  of  the  book,  and 
shows  the  triumph  of  a  proud,  virtuous  woman  over 
a  corrupt,  immoral  man. 

One  of  the  most  striking  features  of  this  story 
is  the  adoption  while  infants,  of  two  children 
by  the  heroine  and  a  friend.  In  course  of  time, 
through  curious  letterings  on  their  breasts,  they 
prove  to  be  Dr.  Dumas'  own  flesh  and  blood,  and 
they  become  the  chief  instrument  of  their  father's 
downfall,  although  their  foster-parents  lavish  upon 
them  the  most  unquenchable  devotion  and  loyalty. 

Some  of  the  leading  dramatic  incidents  of  this 
story  are  based  upon  the  laws  and  phenomena  of 
hypnotism.  Thus  in  working  out  this  remarkable 


x  Introduction 

tale  those  wonders  of  this  science  which  border 
on  the  supernatural — the  laws  and  methods  em- 
ployed by  savants  in  this  field — are  laid  bare  to 
the  reader. 

All  the  situations  are  brought  to  a  climax  with 
terrible  intensity.  Tenderness  and  love,  passion  and 
fortitude,  bitterness  and  sorrow,  treachery  and 
fidelity,  strength  and  weakness  are  all  expressed  in 
these  pages,  while  the  last  wonderful  scene  of  the 
"Somnambule"  is  unequalled  in  fiction. 

The  reader  finishes  it  with  a  sigh  of  the  deepest 
regret  that  there  are  not  more  like  unto  it. 

JOSEPH  TYLER  BUTTS. 


INTRODUCTORY  TREATISE 


A  DEPARTMENT  OF  OCCULTISM. 

PSYCHOTISM. 

I  cannot  put  into  this  treatise  what  it  would 
require  volumes  to  contain.  I  cannot  pretend  to 
treat  here  of  Occultism  in  general.  The  average 
reader  is  not  prepared  for  such,  and  I  have  not  the 
space  in  this  treatise  to  do  so. 

I  will  treat  of  one  department  of  Occult  laws 
and  phenomena,  viz :  that  which  I  denominate 
"Psychotism."  This  term  means  that  change  of 
the  human  personality  from  its  active,  positive,  con- 
scious stage  into  a  passive  or  subjective  stage.  It  is 
a  process  by  which  the  will  and  conscious  activity 
of  one  person  are  substituted  for  that  of  another. 
When  this  is  done,  we  call  the  person  whose  per- 
sonality is  inhabited  the  subject  or  "Psychic,"  and 
his  condition  the  subjective  or  Psychic  state.  The 
process  by  which  this  is  done  I  call  "Psychotism." 

I  use  this  term  because  it  is  the  most  ex- 
pressive and  inclusive  of  this  peculiar  state  of 
any  term.  I  can  invent,  or  have  seen  used. 


xxii  Introductory  Treatise 

Some  Psychologists  explain  this  state  and  its  phe- 
nomena by  positing  that  man's  mind  is  a  duality, 
one  being  the  objective  mind  and  the  other  the  sub- 
jective— the  former  being  the  every-day,  reasoning, 
conscious  mind,  which  directs  in  every-day  affairs; 
the  latter  is  concerned  only  with  our  Sub- 
jective Universe,  the  functions  of  the  body  and 
certain  phases  of  our  intellectual  processes,  which 
are  largely  involuntary.  Now  they  explain  the 
Psychotic  state  by  saying  that  it  is  an  induced  state 
of  the  individual,  in  which  the  objective  mind  is,  as 
it  were,  inhibited,  and  the  subjective  mind  directly 
reached  and  controlled.  It  is  a  beautiful  working 
hypothesis,  and  explains  many  obscure  points,  but 
whether  it  is  true  or  not,  no  one  can  at  this  time 
say. 

To  be  in  a  condition  of  Psyehotism  means  that 
•the  person  has  passed  from  a  normal,  conscious 
individual  state  to  a  passive,  subjective  condition, 
in  which  his  individuality  is  subject  to  the  will 
of  another.  Not  only  are  his  mind  and  emotions 
and  will  so  subject,  but  also  to  a  large  extent  his 
entire  physical  system.  Any  man  or  woman,  whom 
I  can  place  in  a  state  of  Psyehotism,  can  be  abso- 
lutely dominated  by  me.  This  I  have  proven  a 
thousand  times  over.  I  can  control  such  a 
person  not  only  while  under  my  present  in- 
fluence, but,  by  means  of  post-psychotic  com- 
mands, that  is,  commands  to  be  obeyed  at  some 
future  time,  I  can  cause  him  to  perform  acts  at 


Introductory  Theatise  xxiii 

some  future  time  when  he  is  absolutely  unconscious 
that  he  is  under  my  influence. 

The  state  of  Psychotism  remains  in  abeyance  with- 
in his  personality,  as  it  were,  until  the  opportune 
moment  arrives,  when  it  will  assert  itself  with  all 
its  former  power. 

Now  the  person  who  brings  about  this  condition 
I  call  the  Psychologist,  the  person  influenced,  the 
Psychic,  and  the  state  of  condition,  Psychotism. 

I  prefer  these  terms  to  define  this  science  and 
its  states,  conditions  and  phenomena  because  the 
usual  terms  are  incomplete  and  inadequate.  The 
Psychotic  state,  as  I  term  it,  is  not  necessarily  one 
of  sleep  or  hypnosis,  as  it  is  commonly  called,  be- 
cause the  subject  is  often  in  a  condition  far  from 
sleep.  He  is  often  in  a  condition  of  consciousness 
and  even  alertness,  though  altogether1  abnormal. 
He  can  converse  with  the  operator  or  with  others 
and  exhibit  a  higher  order  of  intellect  than  when  in 
the  normal  condition.  Yet  at  the  same  time  his 
own  individuality  may  be  completely  lost  or  perverted. 
He  may  even  appear  normal  and  be  engaged  in  his 
ordinary  affairs  and  appear  to  be  acting  under  his 
own  free  will  and  yet  be  under  the  complete 
dominance  of  post-psychotic  commands.  Hence  I 
say  that  the  usual  terms  employed,  such  as  hypnot- 
ism, mesmerism,  etc.,  do  not  properly  define  and 
express  this  condition.  They  only  describe  one  phase 
of  it. 

This  science,  for  it  is  now  a  science,  is  not  some 


xxiv  Introductory  Treatise 

new  thing.  It  is  as  old  as  the  ages  of  literature 
and,  I  might  say,  as  man  himself.  It  is  known  all 
over  the  world,  and  in  different  ages,  under  differ- 
ent names.  It  has  been,  and  can  be,  used  as  a 
blessing  or  a  curse.  It  can  be  used  to  reform  char- 
acter and  life  or  to  wreck  and  blast.  It  can  instil 
virtue  into  the  criminal  or  vice  into  the  pure.  It 
can  rescue  the  fallen  or  seduce  the  virtuous.  It 
can  be  used  to  heal  the  body  of  sickness  or  inflict 
it  with  diseases. 

These  things  I  know,  I  care  not  what  is  alleged 
to  the  contrary. 

One  might  not  be  able  to  seduce  a  virtuous 
woman  by  direct  command  that  she  submit  herself 
to  illicit  love,  but  one  may  fasten  in  her  mind, 
while  she  is  in  a  state  of  Psychotism,  the  sugges- 
tion that  such  love  is  pure  and  right  and  proper; 
that  the  Psychologist  or  operator  is  her  lawful  hus- 
band, and  she  will  believe  it  and  yield.  It  all  de- 
pends upon  the  knowledge  one  has  of  this  wonderful 
science  and  the  manner  in  which  his  commands  or 
suggestions  are  given. 

An  honest  man  may  refuse  to  obey  a  com- 
mand to  commit  a  forgery,  if  commanded  in  so 
many  words  to  do  so,  but  suppose  he  were  made 
to  believe  by  suggestion  that  he  is  in  reality  the 
person  whose  name  he  is  commanded  to  sign.  I 
know  he  would  unhesitatingly  commit  the  forgery. 

These  things  being  true,  the  conclusion  forces 
itself  irresistably  upon  one's  mind,  that  in  the  hands 


Introductory  Treatise  xxv 

of  an  evil  person,  like  "Dumas,  The  Mystic"  of  the 
story  in  this  book,  there  is  great  danger  in  this 
rcience.  The  author  was  led  to  this  conclusion  some 
years  ago  by  experiments  intended  to  prove  or  dis- 
prove this  point. 

Some  scientists  say  that  a  person  in  the  Psychic 
state  will  do  nothing  against  his  innate  moral  prin- 
ciples, and  that  he  is  thus  protected.  Yet,  suppose 
the  suggestion  were  made  under  a  different  guise. 
What  scientist  would  or  could  doubt  its  success? 

Take  the  case,  for  illustration,  of  Eidola  Mande- 
ville  and  Dr.  Dumas,  the  Mystic  of  this  story— 
when  he  makes  the  suggestion  that  she  submit  to 
his  love  of  her,  suppose  he  had  first  suggested  to 
her  that  she  was  his  wife,  and  fastened  that  sug- 
gestion in  her  mind,  what  would  then  have  been  the 
result? 


In  making  these  weighty  statements  the 
writer  is  supported  by  abundant  authority  of 
the  highest  character.  Let  him  who  doubts  read  Dr. 
Albert  Moll's  Hypnotism  and  the  chapter  on  the 
"Legal  Aspects  of  Hypnotism."  Also  Max  Dessoir's 
Work  and  Prof.  Liegeois'  "De  La  Suggestion,"  etc. 
In  Germany  a  number  of  cases  where  crimes  were 
committed  under  what  was  then  termed  "Animal 
Magnetism,"  were  brought  to  justice.  Girls  and 


xxvi  Introductory  Treatise 

women  were  seduced  under  this  influence.  The  ex- 
perts, Coste  and  Broquier,  with  whom  the  well- 
known  authorities,  Devergie  and  Tardieu,  agreed, 
gave  their  opinion  that  a  magnetized  subject  might 
be  assaulted  against  her  will  and  without  her  con- 
sciousness. 

The  noted  case  of  Castellan  in  1865,  reported  by 
Prosper  Despine,  was  a  case  of  assault  on  a  girl  in 
the  psychotic  state,  in  which,  according  to  Liegeois, 
Castellan  suggested  to  Josephine  H.  to  love  him, 
trust  him,  submit  to  his  embraces,  etc.  Castellan  was 
tried  and  convicted  and  condemned  to  twelve  years' 
imprisonment,  upon  the  opinion  of  Roux  and  Anban, 
with  whom  the  doctors,  Heriatt,  Paulet  and  Theus 
were  associated. 

The  Levy  case,  in  1879,  is  also  in  point.  He 
was  a  dentist  of  Rouen  and  assaulted  a  girl  in  the 
magnetic  sleep.  Bronardel  gave  his  opinion  on  the 
case  and  Levy  was  imprisoned  for  ten  years. 


Dr.  Moll  also  holds  that  the  abnormal  state  may 
be  used  to  get  possession  of  property  illegally. 
Subjects  can  be  induced  to  sign  promissory  notes, 
deeds  of  gift,  commit  forgeries,  etc.  He  gives  many 
interesting  cases. 

A  succession  of  cases  in  which  suggestion  is  said 
to  have  played  a  part  in  the  commission  of  crime, 
has  of  recent  years  attracted  the  attention  of  the 


Introductory  Treatise  xxvii 

press.  To  these  belong  the  noted  case  of  Gabrielle 
Bompard,  who  was  accused  of  murder  committed 
under  the  influence  of  a  suggestion  received  from 
her  lover,  Eyrand.  Madame  Weiss  in  Algiers 
endeavored  to  poison  her  husband  and  was  condemned 
to  twenty  years'  imprisonment,  whereupon  she  com-* 
mitted  suicide.  According  to  Liegeois,  this  woman 
had  received  a  post-psychotic  command  from  her 
lover,  under  which  she  acted.  In  the  case  of  Cham- 
bige.  a  married  woman  who  had  previously  been  a 
model  wife  and  mother  was,  under  suggestion  in 
psychotism,  induced  to  forget  her  own  husband  and 
children,  and  became  madly  infatuated  with  Cham- 
bige,  who  afterwards,  when  he  was  confronted  by 
his  crime,  attempted  to  kill  himself. 


We  cannot  go  further  into  this  phase  of  this 
important  subject.  Those  desiring  to  go  deeper 
into  this  and  similar  phases  may  consult  Bern- 
heim's  "Suggestive  Therapeutics,"  Moll's  Works,  Carl 
Sextus',  Dr.  Braid's  Works  (Manchester,  Eng.) ;  Dr. 
Wetterstrand's  Works  (of  Sweden);  Dr.  Lloyd— Tuc- 
key's  (of  England);  Prof.  Ricrhet'sj  (of  Paris); 
Dr.  Cooke's  (of  Boston) ;  Dr.  Charcot's,  (of 
the  Salpetriere  Hospital,  of  Paris) ;  Dr.  Sydney 
Flower's  (of  Chicago) ;  Dr.  Quackenbo's  (of  Wash- 
ington, D.  C.)  Dr.  Gurney's  and  Dr.  F.  W.  Myer's. 


xxviii  Introductory  Treatise 

(of  England) ;  and,  best  of  all,  let  them  study  the 
Reports  of  the  Committees  on  Hynotism  of  the 
"Society  for  Psychical  Research"  of  London,  Eng- 
land whose  reports  have  been  published  in  the 
Society's  "Proceedings"  from  1882  up  to  the  present 
time. 

If  the  reader  will  avail  himself  of  one  hundredth 
of  the  material  at  his  hand,  he  must  come  to  the 
conclusion  that  the  author  has  remained  within  the 
bounds  of  scientific  experiments  and  facts  in  all 
the  remarkable  incidents  set  out  in  "Miss  Incognita." 


A    BRIEF    HISTORY    OF    THE    SCIENCE    OF 
PSYCHOTISM. 

I  will  now  give  a  brief  history  of  this  science, 
and  in  so  doing  so  will  use  the  terms  under  which  it 
was  formerly  known,  for  purposes  of  convenience. 

Dr.  Albert  Moll  says  that,  "In  order  to  under- 
stand the  gradual  development  of  modern  hypnotism 
from  'animal  magnetism'  we  must  distinguish  two 
points:  Firstly,  that  there  are  human  beings  who 
can  exercise  a  personal  influence  over  others,  either 
by  direct  contact  or  even  at  a  distance;  and  secondly, 
the  fact  that  particular  psychical  states  can  be 
induced  in  human  beings  by  certain  physical  pro- 
cesses." 


Introductory  Treatise  xxix 

This  second  fact,  especially,  has  long  been  known 
among  the  Oriental  peoples,  and  was  utilized  by  them 
for  religious  purposes. 

Kiesewetter  attributes  the  early  soothsaying  by 
means  of  precious  stones  to  psychotism,  which  was 
induced  by  steadily  gazing  at  the  stones.  This  is 
also  true  of  divination  by  looking  into  vessels  and 
crystals,  as  the  Egyptians  have  long  been  in  the 
habit  of  doing.  This  we  know  now  as  "Crystal 
Vision"  in  the  very  interesting  experiments  of  the 
"Society  for  Psychical  Research"  of  London.  The 
reader  will  see  a  very  striking  case  of  this  in 
"Gymp,  the  old  Egyptian,"  in  "Miss  Incognita," 
where  he  perceives  distant  scenes  and  events  in  his 
"Crystal." 

These  same  psychic  phenomena  are  also  found 
to  have  existed  several  thousand  years  ago  among 
the  Persian  magi,  as  well  as  un  to  the  present  day 
among  the  Indian  Yogis  and  adepts. 

The  writer  possesses  a  crystal  brought  from  India, 
and  has  made  many  remarkable  experiments  with 
it — inducing  clairvoyant  visions  of  distant  scenes  and 
events.  The  crystal  is  also  used  very  successfully  to 
induce  the  psychic  state. 

A  bright  object,  as  a  diamond  nng  or  polished 
surface,  or  a  glass  of  water,  may  be  used  instead  of 
a  crystal,  if  the  reader  has  no  crystal. 

If  your  subject  is  made  to  gaze  intently  for  sev- 
eral minutes  in  a  quiet  room  into  one  of  these  ob- 


xxx  Introductory  Treatise 

jects,  he  will  quite  often  go  into  the  psychic  state. 
I  often  use  this  method  to  produce  this  condition. 


The  prophets  of  Israel,  or  seers,  were  consulted 
in  private  matters  as  well  as  for  sacred  things.  In 
I.  Samuel  (Chap,  ix.)  you  will  find  Saul,  son  of 
Kish,  consulting  Samuel  the  prophet  (paying  him  a 
fee,  too)  in  order  that  he  (Saul)  might  learn  from 
the  seer  the  whereabouts  of  his  father's  asses. 

Soothsaying,  obsession,  trance,  visions  and  in- 
spiration were  all  accepted  facts  among  these  people. 

Healing  by  the  laying  on  of  the  hands  was  com- 
mon among  the  Jews,  and  was  practiced  by  the  Foun- 
der of  Christianity  and  his  immediate  followers  with 
marvelous  results.  "Many  were  astonished  that  such 
mighty  works  were  wrought  by  his  hands." 
(Mark  vi.  2.)  "Lay  hands  upon  the  sick,  and  they 
shall  recover."  Mark  xvi.  18)  "The  Lord  granted 
signs  and  wonders  to  be  done  by  their  hands."  (Acts 
xiv.  3.) 

According  to  M.  Foissac,  the  familiar  spirit,  the 
demon  of  Socrates,  that  interior  voice  which  ap- 
prised him  of  that  which  was  to  happen,  and  of  that 
which  he  should  do,  was  a  state  of  self-induced  psy- 
chotism,  or  of  natural  somnambulism  with  which  the 
godlike  genius  was  frequently  affected.  However, 
many  believe  that  Socrates  had  a  demon,  that  is, 


Introductory  Treatise  xxxi 

a  familiar  spirit  which  constantly  attended  him,  as 
he  himself  alleged. 

A  rigid  and  critical  analysis  of  the  records  of 
the  Middle  Ages  would  be  here  impossible,  if  not 
out  of  place.  It  would  require  a  volume  merely  to 
name  the  facts,  from  the  exorcisms  of  Saint  Gregory 
Thaumaturgus  to  the  convulsionaries  of  Saint  Me- 
dard. 

"Mesmerism,"  says  Van  Helmont,  "is  active 
everywhere,  and  has  nothing  new  but  the  name;  it 
is  a  paradox  only  to  those  who  ridicule  everything, 
and  who  attribute  to  the  powers  of  Satan  whatever 
they  ai-e  unable  to  explain." 

In  all  times,  as  well  as  in  all  countries,  extra- 
ordinary things  have  passed  for  supernatural,  from 
the  moment  they  are  no  longer  admitted  of  explana- 
tion ;  and  it  is  natural  to  refer  and  attribute  super- 
natural things  to  a  divine  power.  That  which  is 
esteemed  supernatural  and  divine  so  become  the 
basis  of  religion.  So  we  find  in  Pagan  antiquity, 
in  the  Middle  Ages,  and  at  the  present  time,  these 
phenomena  inextricably  mixed  up  with  the  history  of 
religion. 

MESMERISM   SUBSEQUENT  TO  MESMER 

Dr.  Anthony  Mesmer  was  born  5th  May,  1734, 
in  a  small  town  called  Stein,  on  the  banks  of  the 
Rhine.  This  celebrated  man  studied  medicine  and 
obtained  the  degree  of  doctor  at  Vienna,  under  Pro- 
fessors Van  Swienten  and  Haen,  and  became  acquain- 


xxxii  Intro  Juctory  Treatise 

ted  with  the  virtues  of  animal  magnetism  by  seeing 
the  wonderful  cures  performed  by  a  Father  H-ehl, 
a  Jesuit  priest.  About  1750  this  young  doctor  com- 
menced to  investigate  the  matter  for  himself;  and, 
having  satisfied  himself  of  the  reality  of  cures  made, 
he  commenced  a  series  of  independent  experiments. 
Father  Hehl's  cures  were  supposed  to  be  produced 
by  the  subtle  influence,  or  fluid  of  magnetism,  which 
was  imparted  to  patients  from  steel  plates  and 
magnets  prepared  and  used  for  the  purpose.  One 
day  Mesmer,  having  bled  a  patient,  accidentally 
passed  his  hand  over  the  cicatrix,  or  lance  puncture, 
and  observed  that  his  hand  produced  the  exact  results 
which  had  hitherto  been  produced  by  the  magnets. 

Mesmer,  from  the  nature  of  his  inaugural  thesis 
"On  the  Influence  of  the  Planets  on  the  Human 
Body,"  upon  obtaining  his  degree,  might  be  expected 
to  see  a  relationship  between  the  subtle  influence 
exerted  by  the  loadstone  or  magnet  and  that  of  the 
human  hand,  and  the  adoption  by  him  of  animal 
magnetism,  at  an  adequate  theory  to  cover  all  the 
phenomena  created  of  experienced  by  him,  seems  to 
have  been  a  natural  and  easy  conclusion. 

Mesmer,  having  learned  the  art  of  curing  diseases 
from  Father  Hehl,  applied  himself  to  the  cure  of 
diseases  with  "extraordinary  success."  He  left 
Vienna,  and  traveling  throughout  Germany  and 
Switzerland,  he  continued  to  "work  wonders,"  his 
cures  approximating  to  the  miraculous.  King's  and 
courtiers,  as  well  as  the  people,  vied  with  each  other 


Introductory  Treatise  xxxiii 

for  an  opportunity  to  attend  his  levees  and  partake 
in  his  seances.  In  1778  he  started  for  Paris;  here 
his  success  in  curing  diseases  was  so  remarkable  that 
the  elite  of  society  struggled  for  the  privilege  of 
waiting  upon  him  and  of  learning  his  art.  A  society 
was  actually  formed  for  the  purpose  of  acquiring 
his  seci-et,  and  using  it  for  the  cure  of  disease. 
Somnambulism  and  'clairvoyance  had  not  yet  been 
developed  by  his  process, 

MESMER'S  THEORY  OP  ANIMAL  MAGNETISM 

"There  is  a  reciprocal  action  and  reaction  be- 
tween the  planets,  the  earth,  and  animated  nature. 

"The  means  of  operating  this  action  and  reac- 
tion is  a  most  fine,  subtle  fluid,  which  penetrates 
everything,  and  is  capable  of  receiving  and  com- 
municating all  kinds  of  motions  and  impressions. 

"This  is  brought  about  by  mechanical,  but,  as  yet, 
unknown  laws. 

"The  reciprocal  effects  are  analogous  to  the 
ebb  and  flow. 

"The  properties  of  matter,  and  of  organization, 
depend  upon  reciprocal  action. 

"This  fluid  exercises  an  immediate  action  on  the 
nerves,  with  which  it  embodies  itself,  and  produces 
in  the  human  body  phenomena  similiar  to  those  pro- 
duced by  the  loadstone,  that  is,  polarity  and  inclina- 
tion. Hence  the  name  ANIMAL  MAGNETISM." 


xxxiv  Introductory  Treatise 

Mesmer  had  many  disciples  and  ardent  followers, 
among  whom  were  some  of  the  ablest  men  of  the 
day,  such  as  Marquis  of  Puysegure,  Caulet  DeVau- 
morel  Petetin,  Bergasse,  Sehelling,  Von  Humboldt, 
Ritter,  Treverarnus,  Walther,  Hufeland,  Echen- 
Ritter,  Nasse,  Ness,  of  Essenback,  Francis  Bader, 
Kieser,  and  Jussien,  the  celebrated  botanist. 

A  Commission  of  Inquiry  was  appointed  by  the 
French  Government.  The  report  in  the  main  con- 
firmed the  reality  of  the  phenomena. 

The  French  Revolution,  rather  than  any  mistakes 
or  vagaries  of  Mesmer,  or  the  unfavorable  report 
of  the  Commission  of  Louis  XVI,  eclipsed  the  popu- 
larity of  Mesmerism  in  France  for  a  time. 

When  the  Revolution  burst  forth  in  France, 
subverting  law,  order  and  all  good,  Mesmer  returned 
to  his  native  land,  where  his  time  was  divided  be- 
tween pursuing  his  favorite  science  and  cultivating 
his  estate.  Here  he  was  visited  by  the  most  eminent 
men  of  the  day ;  and  before  his  death  he  had  the 
pleasure  of  seeing  his  works  edited  by  one  of  the 
Professors  of  the  University  of  Strasburg  and  his 
science  triumphant  in  Berlin,  Jena,  Bonn,  Halle, 
Tubingen,  St.  Petersburg,  Copenhagen  and  even  in 
Vienna.  In  spite  of  laws  and  law-givers,  Animal 
Magnetism  performed  the  most  wonderful  cures.  '  Dr. 
Malfati,  one  of  the  most  talented  of  physicians  in 
Vienna,  adopted  Mesmer's  system,  and  practiced  it 
with  great  effect. 

Following   Mesmer,   the  most   active   and  intelli- 


Introductory  Treatise  xxxv 

gent  of  his  converts  or  followers  was  the  Marquis 
de  Puysegure.  He  pursued  the  practice  of  Mesmer- 
ism at  his  estate  at  Buzancy,  both  as  a  study  and  rec- 
reation. One  day,  calling  at  the  house  of  his  steward, 
he  referred  to  what  he  had  seen  in  Paris,  where  he 
had  attended  Mesmer's  lectures.  Obtaining  permis- 
sion to  mesmerize  the  steward's  daughter,  to  his 
surprise  and  delight  she  was  in  a  very  short  time 
thrown  into  a  sleep.  He  also  succeeded  by  similiar 
passes,  in  mesmerizing  the  wife  of  his  gamekeeper. 
He  was  now  confirmed  in  his  faith  and  became 
one  of  the  most  successful  mesmerists  of  his  day. 
He  was  the  first  to  discover  the  mesmeric-somnambu- 
listic condition.  It  happened  in  this  way:  He  was 
mesmerizing  a  young  man  for  the  cure  of  consump- 
tion. While  making  the  requisite  passes,  the  patient 
fell  into  a  peaceful  sleep — the  true  mesmeric  sleep 
is  exceedingly  calm  and  recuperating.  While  in  this 
sleep  Victor  talked  with  an  intelligence  rare  to  the 
waking  condition ;  and  while  in  that  state  prescribed 
the  remedies  necessary  for  his  recovery.  Numerous 
instance?  of  a  like  character  occurring  under  the 
Marquis's  influence,  he  at  lensth  published  a  work 
on  the  subject,  and  both  on  his  estate  and  at  Paris 
devoted  much  time  to  Mesmerism  for  the  cure  of 
disease,  in  which  he  was  eminently  successful. 

Mesmerism  at  last  found  its  way  across  the  Chan- 
nel. Mr.  Richard  fhenevix.  F.  R.  S.,  published  a 
series  of  papers  on  the  subject  in  the  L^ndnn  Medical 
and  Physical  Journal  for  1829,  entitled:  "On  Mes- 


xxxvi  Introductory   Treatise 

meris>m.  Improperly  called  Animal  Magnetism." 
His  experiments  attracted  the  attention  of  the  Faculty 
— Dr.  Elliotson,  among  others.  Baron  Dupotet  ar- 
rived in  London  about  1831,  and  commenced  a  series 
of  experiments — the  Baron  was  a  firm  believer  in 
Animal  Magnetism.  The  experiments  were  seen  by 
Dr.  Elliotson,  who  now  determined  to  investigate 
the  subject  for  himself.  The  result  of  the  experi- 
ments of  Dr.  Elliotson,  which  was  published  in  the 
Lancet,  produced  a  great  sensation;  and  phenomena 
which  had  been  regarded  as  impossible,  were  constant- 
ly produced.  Provision,  introvision,  sympathy, 
thought-transference  and  all  the  extraordinary  fea- 
tures of  clairvoyance  were  established. 

The  medical  press  teamed  with  incidents,  demon- 
strations, and  experiments.  Drs.  Elliotson,  Ash- 
burner,  Spillan,  Herbert  Mayo,  'and  others  contribut- 
ed. The  Rev.  Chauncey  Hare  Townsend  published 
his  celebrated  tracts  in  1S40.  About  1835  Dr. 
Esdaile's  experiments  in  Calcutta  attracted  the  at- 
tention of  the  Indian  Government.  Several  hundred 
cases  of  severe  operations,  mostly  Burgieal,  were 
performed  on  patients  in  the  mesmeric  sleep. 

A  Mesmeric  Infirmary  was  erected  in » London, 
and  handsomely  supported  by  public  subscriptions. 
Dr.  Elliotson  threw  his  head  and  soul  into  the  con- 
cern, and  brought  with  him  all  his  ability  as  a  medical 
man  (being  a  short  time  previously  Professor  of  the 
London  University).  Dr.  Elliotson  had  a  greater 
percentage  of  cures  and  a  smaller  percentage  of 


Introductory  Treatise  xxxvii 

mortality  than  any  infirmary  or  hospital  in  London. 
In  France,  Germany,  Switzerland,  India,  and 
now  in  Great  Britain,  Animal  Magnetism  was  placed 
on  a  scientific  basis.  In  1841  M.  LaFontaine,  a 
Frenchman,  visited  England,  and  commenced  giving 
public  lectures  on  Mesmerism  and  exhibitions  of  its 
phenomena.  While  in  Manchester  he  attracted  the 
attention  of  Dr.  Braid,  who  was  at  first  disposed  to 
treat  M.  LaFontaine's  experiments  as  so  much  im- 
posture. Eventually  he  admitted  the  truth  of  the 
phenomena  with  a  new  theory  of  his  own,  which  he 
called  "Hypnotism."  Dr.  Braid's  experiments  were  re- 
markable. Although  both  he  and  they  were  ignomini- 
ously  ignored  by  the  medical  section  of  the  British 
Association  of  Science  in  1842,  it  is  only  right  to  say 
that  the  individual  members  of  the  Association  gave 
Dr.  Braid  great  credit  for  his  researches. 

Mesmerism,  by  its  present  day  phenomena,  will 
help  us  largely  to  understand  past  mysteries,  none 
the  less  real  because  calm  and  thoughtful  scientific 
investigation  furnished  us  with  a  hypothesis — if  not 
sufficiently  adequate  to  cover  the  whole  ground,  at 
least  will  lead  us  to  see  what  can  be  explained  on 
the  natural  or  within  the  realm  of  law,  and  not  be- 
yond it.  But  of  this  each  reader  must  judge  for 
him  or  herself.  One  thing  is  certain,  absolute  knowl- 
edge of  what  is  possible  or  not  within  natural  law  is 
nrt  possible  to  the  understanding,  unless  what  is 
infinite  can  be  apprehended  by  the  finite.  It  is  only 
when  man  in  his  arrogance  of  ignorance  declares  he 


xxxviii  Introductory  Treatise 

has  discovered  the  confines  of  the  natural,  that  he 
seeks  to  explain  by  the  supernatural  whatever  he 
esteems  not  possible  in  the  natural.  The  learned 
Athenians  were  "too  superstitious."  There  are  learned 
moderns  of  whom  the  same  might  be  said.  With  some 
all  is  matter,  no  matter  what;  with  others  all  is  spirit, 
matter  being  its  temporary  projection  on  a  physical 
plane — "chaotic  ether  atoms  reduced  to  cosmos." 
while  with  others  there  is  the  conception  and  per- 
ception of  the  material  and  the  spiritual — of  matter 
and  of  spirit — as  distinct  as  death  and  life — the  in- 
organic and  the  organic.  The  spiritual  may  have  its 
basis  in  mind,  mind  in  organism,  organism  in  pro- 
toplasm. If  protoplasm  is  the  physical  basis  of  life 
and  mind  in  animated  nature,  what  is  the  vitalizing 
essential — spirit  or  what — which  is  the  basis  of  pro- 
toplasm1? Shall  I  say  I  don't  know  what  matter,  or 
mind,  or  life,  or  spirit  is?  I  know  not,  I  know  not, 
save  by  their  manifestations.  Magnetism — electrici- 
ty— can  neither  be  defined  or  known,  only  as  inter- 
preted by  the  law  of  manifestation.  If  we  find  a 
force  in  man  or  in  animals  analogous  in  its  manifesta- 
tion to  magnetism  in  a  stone — i.'e.  attractive  and  re- 
pellent forces — polarity — we  are  justified  in  calling 
that  force  Animal  Magnetism  for  want  of  a  better 
name.  It  is  in  this  sense  the  word  is  used  by  mes- 
merists. The  existence  of  such  an  influence  has  been 
denied,  because  similiar  or  apparently  similiar  phe- 
nomena have  been  induced  by  persons  who  did  not 
believe  in  Animal  Magnetism.  That,  perhaps,  does 


Introductory  Treatise  xxxix 

not  amount  to  much,  seeing  that  these  objectors  be- 
lieve they  had  and  have  power  to  induce  the  pheno- 
mena by  adopting  other  means.  They  thus  exercise 
their  will  power  and  exert  their  influence  by  their 
positive  assumption  of  another  hypothesis  all  the 
same.  I  believe  in  Animal  Magnetism.  From  long 
practice  I  have  seen  much  to  induce  me  to  realize 
and  demonstrate  that  man  can  exercise  such  a  force — 
a  force  which  in  its  nature  and  character,  is  no  more 
wonderful  than  nerve  force,  magnetism,  light,  heat 
or  electricity. 

Crucial  experiments  made  by  the  "Society  for 
Phychical  Research"  of  London,  England,  in  recent 
years  have  demonstrated  beyond  any  doubt  (hat  such 
a  force  or  fluid  or  influence  does  exist  and  can  be 
exerted  by  certain  persons  over  other  persons.  The 
writer  has  also  demonstrated  this  to  his  complete 
satisfaction. 

Of  recent  years  this  science  has  been  steadily 
developed  by  various  investigators  in  all  parts  of  the 
world.  Such  men  as  Grimes,  Dods  and  Stone  and 
Darling,  Cooke,  Hyslop,  Flower,  Quackenbos,  Hudson 
in  America;  Liebault,  of  the  Nancy  Hospital,  Bern- 
heim;  Richet,  Charcot,  Richer,  Binet,  Fere  and  many 
others  in  France:  Moll  Opitz,  Weinhold,  Hoidenhain 
and  many  others  in  Germany:  Metterstrand  and 
others  in  Sweden ;  Gurney.  Myers.  Hack  Tucke  Lloyd 
Tuckey,  Bramwell  and  others  in  England — these  have 
all  done  much  to  elucidate  this  science  and  to  bring 
order  out  of  chaos. 


xl  Introductory  Treatise 

The,  most  painstaking  work  has  been  done  by  the 
Society  for  Psychical  Research  of  England  and  Amer- 
ica, and  some*  important  conclusions  reached. 


THE   STACKS  OF  PSYCIIOTISM 

I  will  now  define  some  of  the  stages  of  Psycho- 
tism.  All  subjects  do  not  exhibit  all  these  stages. 
Some  pass  readily  from  one  stage  to  another.  Some 
enter  the  deeper  stages  at  once.  Some  never  reach 
tli3  deeper  stages  at  all. 

Each  subject  will  exhibit  marked  individuality 
in  this  respect. 

1st  Degree.  Imperfect  control,  most  of  the 
subject's  faculties  retaining  their  normal  activity. 
The  vision  may  be  somewhat  impaired  and  this 
faculty  withdrawn  from  the  control  of  the  subject. 

2nd.  Degree.  Perfect  control  of  the  subject's 
faculties  and  bodily  functions  obtained.  The  senses 
refuse  to  perform  their  normal  functions,  and  obey 
the  behests  of  the  psychologist.  The  muscular  and 
secretory  functions  are  under  control.  The  subject 
may  be  rendered  unconscious  of  pain  and  of  all  en- 
vironments. The  body  can  be  catalepsed  and  the 
mind  automatically  influenced  by  whatever  position 
his  body  may  be  placed  by  the  operator. 


Introductory  Treatise  xli 

3rd  Degree.  The  somnambulistic  stage,  under 
which  the  subject  "wakes  up,"  as  it  were,  within 
himself.  The  faculties  become  responsive  to  tine 
psychotic  influence,  direction  and  suggestion — the 
subject  becomes  largely  an  irresponsible  agent. 

4th  Degree.  This  I  designate  the  Lucid  Somnam- 
bulistic state,  in  which,  in  addition  to  the  phenomena 
indicated  in  the  last  stage,  that  of  lucid  vision,  or 
clairvoyance,  including  thought-transference,  intro- 
vision  and  prevision  is  manifested. 

Here  the  Independent  Psychic  Intelligence  and 
Personality  may  manifest  themselves  in  all  their 
wonder  and  beauty,  or  hideousuess,  of  character,  as 
the  case  may  be.  In  this  state  the  subjects  will  reveal 
their  real  subjective  natures. 

Also  in t revision  becomes  more  marked.  The  sub- 
ject is  able  to  obtain  clearer  knowledge  of  his  own 
internal,  mental  and  bodily  state,  or  of  that  of  another 
person,  when  placed  en  rapport  with  him.  In  this 
stage  you  can  produce  all  tlio^e  wonderful  phenom- 
ena by  suggestion  such  as  are  depicted  in  the  story, 
"Miss  Incognita."  Your  subject  js  as  clay  in  your 
hands.  Your  thought  and  emotions  and  will  become 
his.  I  say  positively  and  emphatically  that  your 
power  over  him  or  her  is  limited  only  by  your  knowl- 
edge of  the  science,  and  by  your  ability  and  skill  in 
giving  suggestions. 

5th  Stage.  I  call  this  the  Independent  or  Spirit- 
ual stage.  The  subject's  vision  is  not  limited  by 
space  or  sympathy.  He  passes  wholly  beyond  the 


xlii  Introductory  Treatise 

control  of  the  operator.  In  this  stage  tht  jighest 
genius  is  often  manifested.  Here  it  seems  that  the 
Psychic's  soul  and  higher  nature  dominates  his  per- 
sonality. 


MODES  OF  PROCEDURE   TO   PRODUCE  THE  PSYCHOTIC 

STATE 

I  am  often  asked  if  anyone  can  succeed  in  pro- 
ducing the  Psychotic  state,  or  are  the  qualities  neces- 
sary to  success  the  property  of  the  few? 

My  answer  is,  not  every  one  can  be  successful. 
But  few  people  succeed  at  anything.  The  majority 
are  failures.  So  it  is  here. 

The  qualities  necessary  to  success  in  this  science, 
so  far  as  we  are  now  able  to  judge  (leaving  out  the 
possession  of  an  inherent  fluidic  emanation  or  nerve 
force,  which  no  doubt  some  people  have)  are  absolute 
confidence  in  one's  ability,  the  gift  of  positive  mental 
concentration,  and  the  personal  and  intellectual  power 
to  make  a  deep  impression  on  the.  subject. 

These  qualities  are  imperative  for  success. 

To  lose  one's  self-confidence,  to  doubt  one's  ability, 
is  to  invite  failure.  One  must  study  the  science  care- 
fully and  thoroughly,  and  know  it.  He  must  practice 
concentration  of  thought  and  attention  until  he  can 
hurl  his  whole  mind  on  one  point  and  keep  it  there. 


Introductory  Treatise  xliii 

He  must  practice  manner,  attitude,  personal  force, 
until  he  can  make  a  deep  impression.  He  is  then, 
ready  to  begin,  the  application  of  this  science. 


There  are  many  methods  of  procedure.  Two  or 
three  of  the  best  are  all  one  wants  to  know.  I  will 
give  what  I  consider  the  best. 

Before  beginning  any  method,  you  must  have  your 
subject  to  thoroughly  concentrate  his  mind.  Concen- 
tration of  thought  is  the  keynote  to  success  in  in- 
ducing the  psychic  state.  Your  subject  will  attain 
concentration  by  the  use  of  the  methods  hereafter 
indicated.  Really,  the  object  of  all  these  methods  is 
to  induce  concentration. 

Another  important  point  to  be  remembered  is 
this:  Disabuse  your  subject's  mind  of  all  idea  that 
any  harm  will  or  can  come  to  him  in  going  into  the 
psychic  condition.  Have  him  compose  his  mind  and 
bring  about  an  absolute  quiet  condition  of  his  ner- 
vous system. 

A  very  successful  method  I  have  used  may  be 
described  as  follov.s: 

I  procured  a  black  round  disc  about  the  size  of 
a  silver  dollar,  and  had  it  set  in  the  center  with  a 
bright  rhinestone.  However,  any  bright  object  will 
do.  The  crystal  I  have  described  is  excellent,  and  I 
very  often  use  this. 


xliv  Introductory  Treatise 

You  have  your  patient  seated  comfortably  in  a 
chair  high  enough  to  rest  the  head  on  the  back. 
Place  his  feet  together.  Place  the  disc  in  the  center 
of  the  palm  of  the  left  hand  and  place  the  left  hand 
in  the  palm  of  the  right,  both  palms  upward.  Tell 
the  subject  to  put  himself  in  a  perfectly  passive  con- 
dition. He  rmist  relax  every  muscle  and  think  of 
nothing  except  what  you  are  saying  to  him.  Tell  him 
to  concentrate  his  mind  solely  on  the  one  idea  of  sleep. 
He  must  rivet  his  eyes  fixedly  on  the  center  of  the 
disc,  held  about  six  or  eight  inches  below  his  face. 
Tell  him  that  he  must  not  for  one  instant  divert  his 
gaze  from  the  disc. 

Keeping  everything  absolutely  quiet  about  him, 
allow  him  to  gaze  at  this  disc  for  several  minutes. 
In  the  meantime,  while  he  is  doing  this,  seat  yourself 
just  behind  him,  where  he  can't  see  you,  and  put 
yourself  in  a  passive  condition  and  concentrate  your 
own  mind  on  the  one  idea  that  your  subject  must,  and 
shall  go  into  the  psychic  state,  at  the  same  time 
making  passes  with  both  hands  at  distance  of  three 
inches  from  his  spinal  column  from  the  neck  down- 
wards. Keep  this  up  for  several  minutes,  intently 
willing  all  the  while  that  he  shall  go  to  sleep.  Then 
quietly  lean  to  one  side  so  you  can  observe  the  sub- 
ject's eyes,  and,  if  you  see  a  tremulous  movement  of 
the  eyelids,  get  quietly  up.  making  no  noise,  and  step 
just  in  front  of  him.  Then,  takinsr  your  position, 
make  passes  with  both  hands  at  a  little  distance  from 
him  down  the  entire  length  of  his  body.  After  you 


Introductory  Treatise  xlv 

have  done  this  a  few  times,  quickly  and  deftly  take  his 
right  hand  in  your  left  and  at  the  same  instant  press 
the  thumb  of  your  right  hand  on  the  lower  part  of  the 
forehead  just  between  his  eyes,  and  say  firmly  and 
quickly,  "Now  close  your  eyes  tightly,  and  you  cannot 
open  them — you  have  no  power  to  open  them — you 
will  sleep,  sleep,  sleep,  and  you  can't  wake  until  I 
tell  you — you  are  fast  asleep,  asleep,  asleep — " 

Let  him  try  to  open  his  eyes,  and  if  they  remain 
closed  he  is  in  one  of  the  stages  of  psychotism.  In 
most  cases  if  the  sleep  is  genuine,  you  will  observe 
a  constant  tremulous  movement  of  the  eyelids.  You 
will  also  observe  that  his  hands  remain  rigidly  fixed 
holding  the  disc. 

Now  remove  the  disc,  and  take  one  of  his  hands 
and  lift  his  arm  straight  out.  It  will  remain  fixed 
as  you  left  it.  The  subject  is  now  ready  for  your 
experiments.  Before  beginning  any  experiments,  al- 
low your  subject  to  i-emain  for  some  minutes  in  a 
state  of  perfect  quiet  and  repose. 

"When  you  are  ready  to  begin  operations  it  is 
well  for  you  to  constantly  make  suggestions,  such 
as:  "Nothing  will  wake  you,  nothing  will  hurt  you. 
You  can't  wake  until  I  wake  you.  You  can  hear 
nothing  but  my  voice,  but  you  can  hear  all  I  say 
and  you  will  do  all  I  say.  Now  you  can  open  your 
eyes  and  look  at  me,  but  you  can't  wake.  You  will 
see  and  hear  and  do  nothing  except  what  I  tell  you. 
You  cannot,  you  will  not." 


xlvi  Introductory  Treatise 

The  subject  is  now  ready  to  act  upon  any  sug- 
gestions you  may  see  fit  to  give  him. 

Do  not  allow  any  one  else  to  touch  him  or  make 
any  suggestions  to  him,  otherwise  you  may  bring 
about  a  state  of  "Cross-Mesmcrization"  which  may 
cause  unpleasant  complications. 

Should  you  wish  him  to  go  under  the  control  of 
another,  say  to  the  subject,  "Now  I  will  put  you  en 
rapport  with  So-and-So,  and  you  will  kindly  receive 
suggestions,  etc.  from  him."  But  before  doing  this 
it  is  well  first  to  get  the  subject's  consent. 


In  this  stage  you  may  give  the  subject  suggestions 
for  his  health  and  well-being.  A  great  many  of  the 
diseases  flesh  is  heir  to,  and  many  bad  habits  and 
moral  perversions  may  be  cured  in  this  stage  by  giv- 
ing the  right  kind  of  suggestions.  In  order  to  be 
successful  in  this  treatment,  you  should  study  some 
good  work  such  as  "Bernheim's  Suggestive  Therapeu- 
tics" and  others  I  might  mention. 


IMPORTANT    ILLUSTRATION    OF  THE    PROCEDURE  TO   IN- 
FLUENCE OR   CONTROL   THE   EMOTIONS   OF   ANOTHER 

Outside  of  all  natural  attractions  and  influences  by 
which  we  may,  and  do,  win  the  love  and  esteem  and 


Introductory  Treatise  xlvii 

confidence  of  others,  there  is  the  artificial  or  psycho- 
logical methods  to  bring  about  the  same  results. 

Here  the  question  of  ethics  arises : 

Is  the  one  as  legitimate  as  the  other,  and  have  we 
the  same  right  to  employ  the  one  method  as  the  other? 

There  is  no  doubt  as  to  the  efficiency  of  the  psycho- 
logical method  to  bring  about  the  results.  It  is  a 
truth  and  a  fact  that,  if  your  subject  be  once  placed 
in  this  plastic,  sympathetic  mood  and  condition  toward 
the  operator,  as  is  induced  by  the  production  of  the 
psychological  trance,  he  can  be  deeply  influenced  in  his 
favor  in  any  way  desired,  and  his  emotions  can  be 
largely  influenced  and  controlled. 


Taking  it  for  granted  that  the  reader  knows  how  to 
place  the  person  he  wishes  to  influence  in  the  psycho- 
logical condition,  known  as  the  "suggestible  state," 
then  after  that  it  is  a  mere  question  of  giving  the 
proper  suggestions  in  the  proper  way. 

Your  subject  should  be  carried  into  the  degree  of 
stage  of  "lucid  somnambulism,"  or  deeper,  if  it  be  a 
ease  where  you  wish  to  evoke  the  emotion  of  love,  con- 
fidence and  affection,  etc. 

As  an  illustration  of  the  method  of  procedure,  you 
would  proceed  as  follows: 

Without  awakening  the  subject  you  would  have 
him  or  her  recline  in  a  comfortable  chair  or  upon  a 


xlviii  Introductory  Treatise 

couch,  so  as  to  produce  a  perfect  physical  state  of 
passivity.  Then  you  will  begin  making  passes  with 
both  hands  a  few  inches  distant  over  the  entire  length 
of  the  body,  saying: 

"Ton  will  sleep  more  and  more  deeply — you  will 
sleep  profoundly — and  as  you  sleep  you  will  think 
only  of  me  and  what  I  say  to  you."  Continue  this 
for  a  few  moments,  then  say  to  the  subject : 

"You  are  very,  very  happy;  you  feel  a  state  of  ec- 
stacy  and  bliss  throughout  your  whole  being — you 
are  thinking  only  of  me — you  do  not  care  to  think  of 
any  one  but  me.  You  love  me,  love  me  with  your 
whole  nature — you  love  me  deeply,  passionately,  with 
an  everlasting  love — you  will  always  love  me  and  think 
of  me,  and  desire  me.  You  will  see  in  me  only  such 
qualities  as  will  incite  your  love  for  me.  When  I 
awaken  you,  you  will  be  in  love  with  me,  and  you 
will  always  remain  so,  and  nothing  can  ever  change 
your  love.  When  you  awake,  you  will  remember 
nothing  in  your  normal,  conscious  mind  that  I  have 
said  to  you,  but  you  will  find  yourself  in  love  with 
me,  .and  you  will  continue  to  love  me.  You  will  not 
know  that  I  have  said  this  to  you,  but  you  will  love 
me.  You  will  have  full  trust  and  confidence  in  me. 
You  will  trust  me  with  anything  and  everything  I  may 
desire  of  you.  You  will  favor  me  in  every  way  pos- 
sible." 

Always  before  awakening  a  subject  suggest  that 
they  will  awake  feeling  so  well  and  joyful  and  happy, 


Introductory  Treatise  xlix 

as  such  suggestion  always  leaves  and  produces  a 
happy  state  of  mind  and  emotion. 

I  give  the  above  illustration  to  show  positively  and 
emphatically  all  suggestions  should  be  given  to  pro- 
duce the  proper  deep  impression  on  the  subjective 
mind  of  your  subject. 

You  will  doubtless  ask  me,  as  you  ought,  if  a  man 
should  take  such  an  advantage  of  a  woman's  heart. 
I  should  say  no,  unless  there  be  overpmvering  reasons 
for  winning  her  love  in  this  \vay.  If  a  man  were 
good  and  noble,  and  loved  a  woman  devotedly  and  he 
saw  she  might  refuse  him  and  throw  herself  away 
on  some  unworthy  suitor,  he  might  be  justified  in 
resorting  to  such  means  as  this  to  win  her. 

But  each  case  and  each  man's  conscience  will  have 
to  be  judged  separately. 


After  a  subject  is  once  placed  in  the  psycmc  or 
subjective  state,  you  can  induce  the  deeper  stages  by 
passes  and  suggestions  to  that  effect.  You  can  pro- 
duce the  cataleptic  stage  by  passes  over  the  portion 
of  the  body  you  wish  to  make  cataleptic,  and  suggest- 
ing that  the  subject  is  becoming  stiff  and  rigid.  The 
•whole  body  can  thus  be  affected  and  made  completely 
rigid.  This  state  is  excellent  for  applying  therapeu- 
tic treatment.  All  forms  of  rheumatism,  neuralgia, 
nervous  pains,  muscular  contractures  and  afflictions, 


1  Introductory  Treatise 

etc.,  can  be  cured  or  benefited.  Also  deafness,  chorea, 
diseases  of  the  organs  of  secretion,  many  eye  troubles, 
constipation,  kidney  troubles,  indigestion,  imperfect 
circulation  of  the  blood,  stammering,  defective  mem- 
ory, bad  habits  of  every  kind,  moral  perversions,  sex- 
ual perversions,  bashfulness  and  many,  many  other 
afflictions  of  the  human  family  can  be  relieved  or 
greatly  benefitted. 


From  this  stage  you  carry  your  subject  into 
somnambulism  and  lucid  somnambulism,  and  produce 
all  the  wonderful  and  beautiful  phenomena  of  those 
stages.  Your  subject  will  be,  and  see,  and  hear,  and 
do,  exactly  as  you  suggest  to  him.  You  can  give  him 
exquisite  pleasure  or  unmitigated  pain.  However,  I 
condemn  absolutely  every  experiment  which  causes 
pain  and  unhappiness,  unless  for  scientific  purposes. 
No  psychologist  has  any  right  to  make  unpleasant 
scenes  and  experiences  for  his  subject,  and  no  gentle- 
man will  do  these  things. 

Another  method  of  producing  the  psychic  state 
is  that  employed  by  Dr.  Braid  and  many  other  ope- 
rators. I  quote  his  words:  "Take  any  bright  object 
between  the  thumb  and  fore  and  middle  fingers  of  the 
left  hand;  hold  if  from  about  eight  to  fifteen  inches 
from  the  eyes,  at  such  a  position  above  the  forehead 
as  may  be  necessary  to  produce  the  greatest  possible 


Introductory  Treatise  li 

strain  upon  the  eyes  and  eyelids,  and  enable  the 
patient  to  maintain  a  steady,  fixed  stare  at  the  object. 
The  patient  must  be  made  to  understand  that  he  must 
keep  the  eyes  steadily  fixed  on  the  object.  It  will  be 
observed  that,  owing  to  the  consensual  adjustment  of 
the  eyes,  the  pupils  will  be  at  first  contracted,  they 
will  shortly  begin  to  dilate,  and  after  they  have  done 
so  to  a  considerable  extent  and  have  assumed  a  very 
wary  position,  if  the  fore  and  middle  fingers  of  the 
right  hand,  extended  and  a  little  separated,  are  car- 
ried from  the  object  toward  the  eyes,  most  likely  the 
eyelids  will  close  involuntarily  with  a  vibratory  mo- 
tion. If  this  is  not  the  case,  or  the  patient  allows 
tli ;  eyeballs  to  move,  desire  him  to  begin  again,  giving 
him  to  understand  that  he  is  to  allow  the  eyelids  to 
close  when  the  finerers  are  again  carried  to  the  eyes, 
but  that  the  eyeballs  must  be  kept  fixed  on  the  same 
position  and  the  mind  riveted  on  the  one  idea  of 
the  object  held  above  the  eyes. 


Another  method  is  to  take  the  subject's  hands  in 
yours,  palm  to  palm,  and  have  him  fix  his  eyes  on 
yours,  and  tell  him  not  by  any  means  to  move  them, 
and  you  keep  yours  fixed  on  his.  "With  the  gaze  thus 
fixed  keep  suggesting  to  him  that  he  is  getting  sleepy 
— very  sleepy — that  his  eyes  are  becoming  heavy  and 
he  will  not  be  able  to  hold  them  open.  Keep  this  up 
for  several  minutes,  and  if  the  subject  is  susceptible, 


lii  Introductory  Treatise 

he  will  go  into  the  psychic  state.  Be  positive,  firm, 
confident  and  impressive  in  all  these  operations,  and 
yon  will  succeed. 

After  your  patient  goes  off,  you  can  give  the 
suggestions  as  formerly  indicated. 

Another  method  is  by  mesmeric  passes.  Seat 
your  subject  comfortably,  or  let  him  lie  down  on  a 
couch.  Then  with  outstretched  hands  make  passes 
down  the  whole  length  of  his  body  for  several  minutes 
at  a  distance  of  about  three  inch.es  from  his  body. 
While  doing  this  constantly  suggest  to  him  that  he  is 
feeling  drowsy — that  a  delightful  numbness  is  creep- 
ing over  him — that  he  is  becoming  sleepy — very  sleepy. 
After  making  these  suggestions  for  a  few  minutes, 
while  making  the  passes,  command  him  to  close  his 
eyes  for  a  moment  tightly — then  make  your  passes 
over  his  eyes,  telling  him  that  his  eyes  are  stuck 
tightly  together  and  he  can't  open  them.  Command 
him  to  try  to  open  them,  and  in  many  cases  he  will 
find  that  he  can  not.  If  you  find  that  he  goes  under 
control,  you  can  proceed  with  your  experiments  as 
before  described. 


POST-PSYCHOTIC   SUGGESTIONS. 

While  your  subject  is  in  the  subjective  state  you 
can  give  suggestions  to  take  effect  at  some  future 
time,  and  if  your  subject  is  deeply  psychologized,  he 


Introductory  Treatise  liii 

will  almost  invariably  carry  out  these  suggestions. 
These  are  most  wonderful  phenomena,  and  would  re- 
quire a  book  to  discuss  this  phase  of  this  subject 
alone.  The  subject  will  unconsciously  hold  the  sug- 
gestion in  his  subjective  or  subliminal  mind  until 
the  time  and  occasion  arrive,  and  then  will  carry  it 
out.  A  number  of  striking  instances  of  this  is  given 
in  "Miss  Incognita." 

You  can  suggest  to  the  subject  that  in  the  future 
he  will  pass  into  the  psychic  state  at  your  command, 
or  upon  a  given  sign  or  word,  and  he  will  do  so  with- 
out previous  manipulation  to  produce  the  state.  You 
can  also  suggest  for*  his  protection  that  no  one  else, 
not  even  yourself,  can  put  him  in  the  subjective 
state  again,  and  the  suggestion  will  take  effect. 

An  important  fact  recently  discovered  is  that  you 
can  induce  one  from  a  natural  sleep  into  the  psychic 
state.  While  in  the  natural  sleep  place  your  hand 
quietly  and  gently  on  the  forehead,  and  remain  quiet 
a  moment.  Then  quietly  suggest  that  the  subject  will 
hear  you  and  answer  you  without  waking.  Should 
he  answer  you  without  waking,  then  suggest  that  he 
cannot  wake,  but  will  pass  into  the  psychic  condition 
and  do  as  you  bid  him. 

In  this  way  you  can  also  induce  the  psychic  state 
in  one  who  is  under  the  influence  of  a  drug.  A  re- 
markable instance  of  this  is  shown  in  "Miss  Incog- 
nita," where  she  thus  gains  complete  control  over 
Lord  Eroslove. 


liv  Introductory  Treatise 

HOW  TO  AWAKE  THE  SUBJECT 

This  must  be  done  gradually.  Say  to  him,  "When 
I  count  three  and  make  three  upward  passes  over 
your  body,  you  will  wake  up  feeling  good  and  re- 
freshed. You  will  feel  rested,  exhilarated  and  hap- 

py." 

Do  not  awake  him  suddenly,  and  always  make 
good,  helpful  suggestions  before  awakening. 

If  you  wish  to  protect  the  subject  against  the  in- 
fluence of  others,  always  tell  him,  before  awakening, 
that  no  one  elce  can  influence  him,  and  that  he  will 
not  be  easily  influenced,  etc.,  etc. 

Also  always  make  curative  and  healthful  sug- 
gestions at  this  time,  that  the  subject  may  be  bene- 
fitted  by  his  experience. 

SOME   EXPERIMENTS    IN    WAKING    STATE 

You  can  often  tell  whether  your  subject  is  sus- 
ceptible to  your  influence  by  experiments  while  he  is 
in  the  normal  state. 

Have  him  place  his  palms  together  and  hold  them 
out  at  arm's  length.  Make  drawing  passes,  and  sug- 
gest that  his  hands  will  be  stuck  together;  or  have 
him  cross  his  legs  and  make  drawing  passes  over  leg 
and  upward  and  the  leg  and  foot  will  be  drawn  up- 
ward. Or  make  passes  down  his  back  several  times, 
and  then  step  back  and  make  pulling  passes  toward 


Introductory  Treatise  lv 

yourself  and  the  subject  will  fall  back  into  your 
arms.  If  you  influence  him  in  this  way  he  can  cer- 
tainly be  put  in  the  psychic  condition  by  you.  You 
can  invent  many  of  these  kind  of  experiments  in 
the  waking  state. 


In  all  things  be  pure  and  noble  in  your  thoughts 
and  feelings,  for  while  your  subject  is  in  this  con- 
dition he  is  vitally  and  morally  affected  by  whatever 
affects  you. 

You  can  convey  your  thoughts  and  feeling  to  him 
without  a  word  being  spoken.  You  can  make  these 
experiments  of  transference  of  thought  and  feeling 
from  you  to  your  subject  for  yourself,  and  you  can 
no  longer  doubt. 

You  can  put  your  subject  into  the  clairvoyant 
state,  and  lie  will  describe  distant  scenes  and  events  to 
you.  You  can  cause  him  to  hear  the  divinest  music, 
and  to  see  most  enchanting  visions. 

You  can  benefit  him  every  way  and  this  is  what 
every  psychologist  ought  to  do. 

We  will  now  pass  on  to  our  story  and  learn  many 
things  concerning  this  science  from  "Miss  Incog- 
nita." 


Ivi  Introductory  Treatise 

SPECIAL  ANNOUNCEMENT 

"WORTH  ITS  WEIGHT  IN  GOLD/' 

IS  THE  NEW  BOOK  JUST  OUT.     ENTITLED  "METHODS  OF 

SOUL  CULTURE/'  BY  EMPLOYMENT  OF  THE  SCIENCE 

OF  "EXPERIMENTAL  PSYCHOLOGY." 

By  W.  T.  Cheney,  A.B.,  B.Ph.  Ph.D.,  Ps.D.,  Mem- 
ber  of    the    Society    for   Physical    Research,"    of 
London,  England,  and  of  the  "American  In- 
stitute of  Scientific  Research."     Author 
of  the  noted  work,  "An  Apocalyp- 
se  of   Life,"   "Woman's   Legal 
Status,"  Etc. 

This  work  is  divided  into  "Twelve  Special  Lessons 
in  'Experimental  Psychology,"  "  as  follows : 

Lesson  No.  1.  "How  to  Test  the  Susceptibility 
of  a  Subject  to  Psychological  Influence." 

Lesson  No.  2.  "The  Best  Scientific  Methods  of 
Induction  of  the  State  of  Psychotism.  Definition  of 
Terms,  'Psychotism,'  etc." 


Introductory  Treatise  Ivii 

Lesson  No.  3.  "How  to  Produce  any  Particular 
Stage  of  Psychotism." 

Leson  No.  4.  "How  to  Treat  or  Cure  Any  Special 
Disease  or  Pain.  A  Number  of  Remarkable  Cases 
Given,  and  the  Methods  of  Cure  Described." 

Lesson  No.  5.  "Ho\v  to  Psychologize  a  Subject 
Unawares.  Five  Special  Methods  Given." 

Lesson  No.  G.  "How  to  Gain  Control  of  or  to 
Influence  the  Emotions  of  Another  and  Win  Their 
Love  and  Confidence."  This  lesson  is  very  important 
and  thoroughly  scientific. 

Lesson  No.  7.  "How  to  Correct  Bad  Habits  or 
Moral  Degeneracy."  A  world  of  good  may  be  ac- 
complished by  the  use  of  this  lesson. 

Lesson  No.  8.  "How  to  Give  Therapeutic  Treat- 
men  in  Natural  Sleep,  and  Induce  a  Subject  From 
the  Natural  Into  'the  Psychotic  Sleep." 

Lesson  No.  9.  "How  to  Produce  the  Wonders  of 
Post  Psychotic  Suggestion,  and  Cultivate  Thought 
Transference,  Clairvoyance,  etc."  A  remarkable, 
verified  case  of  clairvoyance  given. 

Lesson  No.  10.  "How  to  Blot  Out  Unpleasant 
Scenes  and  Memories,  and  How  to  Recall  Any  Scene, 
or  Event,  or  "Knowledge,  or  Memory  Ever  Known  by 
Subject."  A  very  important  lesson. 

Lesson  No.  11.    "How  to  Teach  a  Subject  Difficult 


Iviii  Introductory  Treatise 

Music  or  Recitation,  or  Many  Kinds  of  Knowledge, 
Through  the  Methods  of  Psychological  Suggestions." 
This  lesson  alone  is  worth  $5.00. 

Lesson  No.  12.  "How  to  Remove  Fear,  Timidity 
and  Bashfulness,  and  Inspire  Courage  and  Confi- 
dence." Money  can't  measure  the  value  of  this  les- 
son to  any  man  or  woman,  boy  or  girl. 

These  lessons  are  published  separately  in  single 
volumes  or  altogether  in  one  volume. 

The  bindings  are  beautiful  camel's  hair  black,  gold 
lettering. 

Price  of  single  lesson,  25c;  price  of  twelve  lessons 
bound,  one  volume,  $1.00. 

We  reiterate  with  all  the  emphasis  we  can  com- 
mand that  this  book  is  "WORTH  ITS  WEIGHT  IN 
GOLD." 

The  author  has  had  fifteen  years  experience  in  the 
study  and  demonstration  of  these  great  problems.  The 
treatment  of  the  themes  is  so  simple  and  plain  that 
the  most  untechnical  reader  and  student  can  under- 
stand and  enjoy  every  line. 

Sent,  postpaid,  on  receipt  of  price  as  given  above. 

Published  and  for  sale  only  by  the  Psychic  Pub- 
lishing Co.,  Rome,  Ga. 


MISS  INCOGNITA 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE   MEETING  OF  THE  POUR 

On  a  veranda  of  a  quiet  boarding  house  at  1001 
Lincoln  Park  Square,  in  Chicago,  during  the  spring 
of  1868,  sat  two  young  men. 

"Lindsay,  since  you  seem  to  be  a  quasi-guardian 
of  the  young  lady,  and  an  unusually  devoted  one, 
would  you  mind  telling  me  something  about  her  and 
her  mother,  Mrs.  Mandeville.  I  have  known  them  for 
some  days  and  they  have  told  me  nothing  concern- 
ing themselves.  I  tell  you  frankly,  I  am  deeply 
interested  in  the  young  lady  and  my  passion  is  deep- 
ly aroused." 

"Passion  for  her  Dumas!  Is  it  the  same  as 
your  passion  for  other  things,  either  a  farce  or  an 
evil?  For  instance,  such  as  your  passion  for  your 
experiments  with  your  Hydro-Electro- Vibratoners? 
Your  experiments,  if  what  you  tell  me  be  true,  work 
nothing  but  evil." 

"Don't  switch  me  off  from  the  subject,  Lindsay. 
Wlhat  I  want  is  your  influence  to  have  me  appointed 


8  Miss  Incognita 

the  young  lady's  tutor,  since  you  say  she  has  eome 
here  to  study  chemistry  and  kindred  subjects.  You 
know  I  am  qualified  to  teach  her,  and  then  I  have  a 
well  equipped  laboratory.  I  will  make  you  this  pro- 
position :  I  will  teach  the  young  lady  gratis,  provided 
you  get  me  the  pupil  and  will  agree  that  she  become 
a  subject  to  my  experiments  with  my  'Vibratoners.' 
Since  you  say  my  discovery  is  a  farce,  it  could  not 
hurt  her  and  you  could  have  no  objection  to  my 
amusing  myself.  I  judge  that  she  will  make  me  a 
fine  subject,  and  I  feel  that  through  her  I  can  prove 
to  you  the  truths  of  a  science  now  unknown  to 
you." 

"Well,  Dumas,  I  will  accept  your  terms,  with 
this  proviso :  That  you  are  not  to  use  her  as  a  sub- 
ject without  her  mother  being  present.  Further- 
more, you  must  remember  that  you  are  to  be  her  tutor 
and  not  a  possible  admirer.  I  know  of  your  experi- 
ments with  women,  and  while  you  attempt  to  justify 
some  of  them  as  demonstrations  of  your  theory  of 
'Vibrations/  I  place  them  on  a  different  ground." 

"Tut,  Lindsay.  Having  ears  you  hear  not,  and 
eyes  you  see  not.  I  cheerfully  accede  to  your  con- 
dHons.  But  now  tell  me  the  history  of  these 
ladies." 

"Well,  since  you  are  to  be  her  tutor,  I  will  ac-' 
quaint  you  with  the  facts  as  far  as  I  know  them. 
I  served  during  the  late  rebellion  as  a  private  in  the 
Federal  Army  and  fought  in  the  battle  of  Chicka- 
mauga.  During  that  engagement  I  came  upon  a  Sou- 
thern officer  mortally  wounded  and  in  great  agony. 


The  Meeting  of  the  Four  9 

He  appealed  to  me  piteously,  and  I  stopped.  He 
took  from  his  pocket  a  daguerrotype,  and  gave  it  to 
me,  saying  that  I  would  find  some  written  instruc- 
tions within. 

"After  the  battle  was  over  I  searched  for  his  body 
but  could  not  find  it.  Within  the  case  were  photo- 
graphs of  a  middle-aged  woman,  a  little  girl  and 
a  paper,  giving  his  name  and  house  address.  After 
the  war  I  sent  the  daguerreotype  and  the  writing 
to  the  address  given,  with  a  letter  of  sympathy. 
This  led  to  a  correspondence,  and,  subsequently,  to 
an  attachment  between  myself,  and  Mrs.  Richard 
Mandeville  and  Miss  Eidola,  who  were  the  wife  and 
daughter  of  Judge  Richard  Mandeville. 

"In  May  they  arrived  here  and  took  rooms.  They 
formerly  lived  on  a  plantation  in  Georgia.  As  Mrs. 
Mandeville  informed  me,  they  had  owned  large  plan- 
tations in  the  state  with  scores  of  slaves. 

"At  the  close  of  the  war  in  1865,  Mrs.  Mandeville 
found  herself  a  widow  and  poor.  She  divided  much 
of  her  property  among  her  slaves.  Then  she  sold 
the  balance  of  her  large  plantations  for  rather  flat- 
tering sums  of  the  new  United  States  'greenbacks,' 
which,  many  of  the  Southerners  declared,  would  soon 
be  as  worthless  as  the  bills  of  the  defunct  Confede- 
racy. So  numbers  of  those  who  came  in  possession 
of  it,  bought  lands  or  whatever  else  they  could  get 
with  it,  as  safe  and  permanent  investments.  Mrs. 
Mandeville,  with  this  money  accruing  from  her  pro- 
perty, decided  to  give  Eidola  an  education  in  chemis- 


10  Miss  Incognita 

try  and  medicine,  and  came  here.  So  now  you  see 
why  I  feel  such  an  interest  in  these  ladies,  outside 
of  other  sentiments  I  may  entertain,  which  is  none 
of  your  business  to  know." 

"Begad,  Lindsay,  your  recital  makes  an  interest- 
ing and  strange  story." 

"I  trust,  Dumas,  you  will  remember  you  are  her 
tutor  and  not  her  wooer." 

"I  promise,  with  the  reservation  that  all  is  fair  in 
love  and  war." 

These  two  men  were  young  physicians.  Dr. 
Lindsay,  though  about  thirty  years  old)  had  aot 
long  practiced  his  profession.  He  was  medium  size 
with  a  good  face  and  a  rather  large  nose.  His  ears 
were  prominent  and  his  head  was  rather  small,  but 
well  shaped.  His  eyes  were  blue,  his  mouth  medium 
size,  while  his  chin  was  full  and  square.  His  hair 
was  thick  and  reddish  and  he  wore  an  auburn  mus- 
tache. 

Dr.  Dumas  was  his  opposite.  He  was  exceedingly 
prepossessing.  His  eyes  were  large,  piercing  and 
blue-black.  His  lips  were  full  and  red,  but  showed 
his  underlip,  which  protruded,  partially  concealed 
by  a  long  black  mustache.  His  chin  was  prominent, 
and  when  he  was  excited  drew  itself  into  a  large 
dimple  in  the  center.  His  whole  appearance  showed 
him  to  be  a  man  of  intense,  animal  passions.  He 
was  about  twenty-four  years  old.  In  their  profes- 
sional relations  the  two  men  were  Very  congenial. 

Dr.  Lindsay  possessed  those  sturdy  qualities  that 


The  Meeting  of  the  Four  1 1 

made  him  a  true,  tried  friend.  His  nature,  if  stirred 
by  any  deep  passion,  was  never  demonstrative. 

Dr.  Dumas  was  quite  different.  He  was  a  strange 
mixture  of  sensuality,  emotion,  theiry  and  mysticism. 
Practical  utilitarianism,  plodding  work,  staid  customs 
and  conventionalities  of  social  life  and  plain  morals 
were  all  repulsive  to  him. 

Neither  the  conventional  standards  of  life,  nor  of 
morals,  nor  of  character,  concerned  him.  He  was  also 
very  artistic,  but  his  taste  \\~as  tainted  through  and 
through  with  an  abnoi'inal  sensualism.  He  worship- 
ped the  beauty  of  woman,  but  from  a  sensual  and 
not  an  esthetic  point  of  view.  He  could  be  enslaved 
and  goaded  to  madness  by  any  woman's  beauty,  and 
yet  neve.r  feel  a  spark  of  true,  pure,  noble  love  for 
her.  Ah !  fatal  love  this,  when  a  man  loves  only 
the  beauty  of  a  woman's  body  and  not  the  higher 
beauty  of  her  soul  and  character.  With  such  a  love 
there  can  be  no  constancy,  for  it  will  wane  with  the 
beauty  which  excites  it.  There  is  in  his  nature,  no 
soul-worship  of  that  almost  divine  beauty  imperson- 
ated in  the  fair  female  form  and  face  conjoined  with 
beauty  of  soul  and  character,  but.  instead,  a  morbid 
lust,  that  would  debase  all  loveliness  to  its  own  carnal 
gratification.  Such  a  man  becomes  sooner  or  later, 
if  he  is  not  so  already,  as  much  a  diseased  victim  as 
the  drunkard  or  the  opium  fiend.  The  baser  passions 
become  all-controlling  in  his  nature. 

Such  a  character  was  Dr.  Dumas,  and  such  charac- 
ters every  student  of  human  nature  has  encountered; 
but  it  may  be  hoped  they  are  not  legion. 


12  Miss  Incognita 

At  eight  o'clock  on  this  evening  in  May,  a  tall 
and  prematurely  gray  woman  entered  the  dining 
room,  accompanied  by  a  young  lady  of  about  sixteen 
years  of  age.  They  were  both  dressed  in  mourning. 
The  young  lady  was  too  spirit uelle  to  be  called  a 
vigorous  type  of  beauty.  Her  manners  were  charm- 
ing and  her  eyes  were  violet — her  mouth  and  lips 
were  exquisite.  Her  dark  hair  rested  as  a  crown  upon 
a  forehead  of  marble  whiteness.  She  was  too  etheral 
looking  for  a  flesh  and  blood  being.  Her  voice  was 
soft  and  low,  each  tone  like  a  note  of  music. 

They  had  been  seated  but  a  few  minutes  when  the 
two  physicians  came  into  the  room. 

The  waiter  showed  them  to  the  table  occupied  by 
the  two  ladies,  and  very  soon  they  were  in  a  very 
animated  conversation.  Dr.  Dumas  showed  himself  a 
well-educated  and  widely-traveled  man  for  his  years. 
He  managed  to  reveal  nothing  personal  concerning 
himself. 

"I  trust,  Mrs.  Mandeville,  you  will  find  the  change 
from  the  South  beneficial." 

"Thank  you,  Dr.  Dumas,"  replied  Mrs.  Mande- 
ville. "Neither  my  health  nor  dear  Eidola's  has  been 
vigorous  since  Judge  Mandeville  left  us  to  go  to  the 
war.  After  that  the  burden  of  our  plantations  and 
the  management  of  our  servants  devolved  upon  me, 
and  the  responsibility  was  too  much.  His  sad  death 
prostrated  me,  and  I  fain  would  have  followed  him 
but  for  my  solicitude  for  Eidola.  Her  education  has 
been  carried  forward  during  the  war  under  diffieul- 


The  Meeting  of  the  Four  13 

ties.  Her  father  being  away,  I  had  to  employ  tutors, 
as  I  could  not  spare  her  from  me;  besides  our  schools 
were  all  disorganized  and  demoralized." 

"Yes,  and  then  you  know,  mother,  I  could  not 
have  my  favorite  studies  in  that  rural  section." 

"Pray  tell  me,  Miss  Mandeville,  what  are  your 
favorite  studies'?"  said  Dr.  Dumas.  "But  first  ex- 
cuse me  until  I  order  some  wine;  I  trust  you  will 
compliment  me  by  taking  some  with  me.  Early  in 
life  I  formed  the  habit  of  drinking  wine  at  my  dinner. 
The  doctor  never  objects,  so  I  won't  consult  him." 
Then  turning  to  Miss  Eidola,  he  said :  "Now  you  can 
answer  my  question,  if  you  will  be  so  kind." 

"My  favorite  studies  are  in  those  branches  that 
lead  me  most  directly  into  the  investigations  of  the 
secrets  of  nature — chemistry,  applied  physics  and  the 
beneficent  science  of  medicine.  Another  reason  also 
for  my  choice  of  these  branches  is  that  they  will 
prepare  me  for  my  life-work.  You  know  we,  like 
many  other  Southern  women,  have  lost  our  fortunes, 
and  are  thrown  largely  upon  our  own  resources.  I 
can  conceive  of  no  field  more  attractive  or  remunera- 
tive, or  better  suited  to  a  woman's  genius  that  that 
of  medicine,  especially  those  departments  of  practice 
which  concern  my  own  sex  or  pertain  to  the  treat- 
ment of  children.  True,  I  could  make  a  living  by 
teaching,  or  in  some  other  humble  avocation,  but  my 
ambition  is  above  the  getting  of  a  mere  livelihood. 
We  should  look  forward  to  the  making  of  a  compe- 
tency and  to  independence  of  fortune,  as  men  do  who 


14  Miss  Incognita 

have  to  depend  upon  themselves.    Am  I  not  right?" 

"Indeed,  Miss  Mandeville,  your  views  strike  me 
as  very  utilitarian.  Who  would  have  dreamed  that 
the  brain  that  created  such  music  as  I  heard  from 
you  this  morning  at  the  same  time  harbored  such 
practical  ideas  and  ambitions.  I  should  think  you 
and  every  young  woman  would  set  your  heart  upon 
love  and  marriage,  the  elysian  poesy  of  life,  rather 
than  upon  its  moody  prose  and  plodding  measures." 

"But,  Dr.  Dumas'"  interposed  Mrs.  Mandeville, 
"there  must  often  be  in  women  the  combination  of 
the  esthetic  and  the  practical,  for  the  poesy  of  love 
and  marriage  ofttimes  proves  Utopian,  and  every 
woman  cannot  possess  these  blessings." 

"For  my  part,"  said  Dr.  Lindsay,  "I  am  of  the 
opinion  that  all  women,  married  or  unmarried,  should 
be,  like  men  are,  qualified  for  useful  callings,  for 
they  may  not  only  have  to  support  themselves,  but 
others  also;  husbands,  sometimes,  for  instance." 

"Well  said,  my  dear  boy,"  broke  in  Dr.  Dumas, 
reaching  out  and  grasping  the  speaker's  hand. 
Then  turning  to  the  young  lady:  "Since  you  intend 
to  prosecute  those  branches  of  study,  allow  me,  Miss 
Mandeville,  to  tender  you  the  freedom  of  my  medical 
laboratory,  and  my  books  and  appliances.  You  will 
find  them  in  rooms  Nos.  4  and  5,  immediately  over 
your  parlor." 

"Thank  you,"  exclaimed  both  ladies  at  once. 
Then  Miss  Mandeville  continued:  "Perhaps  you  can 
assist  us  in  finding  an  instructor  in  these  branches. 


The  Meeting  of  the  Four  15 

You  know  the  medical  colleges  are  not  yet  open  to 
women." 

"If  you  will  allow  me  to  make  a  suggestion,  Miss 
Mandeville,"  said  Dr.  Lindsay,  "I  don't  think  you 
could  find  a  better  tutor  in  all  the  city  than  Dr. 
Dumas." 

"Yes,  but  he  is  to  be  considered  in  this  matter; 
we  could  hardly  ask  him  to  undertake  such  an  ar- 
duous duty,"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Mandeville. 

"I  assure  you,  madam,  I  am  entirely  at  your 
service." 

After, expressing  mutual  compliments  at  the  hap- 
py and  sudden  turn  of  events,  the  party  broke  up  for 
the  evening. 

Alas!  How  often  do  the  sudden,  unexpected, 
and  even  trival  things  of  life  decide  the  fate  of  our 
future  weal  or  woe.  Things  to  which  we  hardly  give 
a  passing  thought  become  awful  weights  in  the  bal- 
ances of  destiny.  We  do  things,  we  know  not  why, 
we  go  to  one  place  in  preference  to  another,  for  some 
trivial  reason;  we  form  a  passing  acquaintance  in  an 
accidental  way.  and,  behold,  in  after  times  we  see  that 
one  or  the  other  has  aided  us  or  played  havoc  with 
our  lives! 


1  «'">  Miss  Incognita 


CHAPTER  II 

DUMAS,  THE   MYSTIC. 

ONE  month  has  now  passed.  During  this  time 
events  have  occurred  which  changed  the  whole  tenor 
of  Dr.  Lindsay's  feelings  toward  Dr.  Dumas  and  his 
estimate  of  him.  We  now  see  Dumas  the  mystic. 
Dr.  Lindsay  saw  him  as  he  had  never  seen  him  be- 
fore. Mystic  he  would  have  been  called  in  1868,  now 
he  would  be  called  a  psychologist — or,  to  use  a  more 
unscientific  term,  a  hypnotist — for  that  power  or 
agency  formerly  classed  as  magic,  witchcraft  and 
mysticism,  is  now  in  the  latter  part  of  the  nineteenth 
century  being  developed  into  a  science.  At  that  time 
it  was  but  little  known.  This  may  account  for  the 
reason  Dr.  Lindsay  had  up  to  this  time  treated  Dr. 
Dumas'  pretensions  with  contempt.  Besides,  Dumas, 
being  a  regular  physician,  might  not  have  cared  to 
make  his  experiments  and  his  interest  in  this  subject 
too  public.  For  this  reason  also  he  may  have  cloaked 
the  real  truth  of  what  he  knew  about  psychology 
under  the  term  "Vibrations,"  and  as  a  further  piece 
of -deception,  he  may  have  constructed  his  "Hydro- 
Electric- Vibratoners."  Now  I  do  not  say  that  he 
knew  he  was  practicing  a  deception,  or  that  he  had 


Dumas,  the   Mystic  17 

any  other  idea  than  that  his  "Vibrations"  and  his 
'"Yibratoners"  were  efficient  causes  in  producing  his 
wonderful  results'. 

The  truth  is,  his  "Vibratoners,"  as  he  called 
them,  were  only  mechanical  aids  and  appliances  used 
as  a  means  to  an  end,  as  any  psychologist  will  see 
when  they  are  described,  as  will  be  done  hereafter. 

What  little  Dr.  Lindsay  had  seen  of  the  experi- 
ments had  given  him  no  light  on  the  subject,  and 
had  excited  but  little  interest  in  his  mind. 

At  that  time,  outside  of  Dr.  Dods  in  America, 
Dr.  Braid  in  England,  and  Drs.  Liebault  and  Char- 
rot  in  France,  but  few  investigators  were  at  work 
upon  this  fruitful  field  of  research.  So,  I  say,  Dr. 
Lindsay  is  not  to  be  blamed  for  his  ignorance  on 
this  subject  in  1868.  nor  for  the  awful  blunder  he 
made  in  putting  Miss  Eidola  under  the  tutelage  of 
this  dangerous  mystic  and  sensualist,  as  he  proved 
himself  to  be.  The  evil  was  not  in  the  science,  but 
in  the  diabolical  use  of  it  by  an  evil  man. 

Besides,  durin?  the  past  month  Dr.  Lindsay's 
interest  in  Miss  Eidola  had  increased  very  much, 
and.  in  the  same  proportion,  his  solicitude  for  her 
had  increased,  for  reasons  to  be  hereafter  stated. 
He  knew  Dumas'  character  well,  as  a  man  of  the 
world,  but  he  had  thought  he  could  trust  the  young 
lady  and  her  mother  to  take  care  of  any  danger 
arisinsr  from  that  source. 

But  when  by  a  mere  accident  he  was  led  to  dis- 
cover Dumas,  the  Mystic,  he  was  quickly  and  truly 


18  Miss  Incognita 

alarmed.  She  way  this  discovery  came  about  was 
this: 

One  morning  Dr.  Dumas  was  sitting  in  Dr.  Lind- 
say's office  when  a  young  man,  a  patient  of  the 
latter  physician,  came  in  for  treatment.  He  had 
rheumatism  in  his  arm,  which  was  quite  useless,  and 
had  not  improved  under  the  ordinary  medical  treat- 
ment. After  hearing  the  history  of  the  case  Dr. 
Dumas  casually  remarked  that  with  his  "Vibratoners" 
he  could  cure  him  in  a  few  minutes.  Dr.  Lindsay 
ridiculed  the  idea  and  dared  Dumas  to  attempt  it. 
The  latter  accepted  the  challenge. 

The  young  man  agreed  to  the  experiment,  and 
readily  went  with  Dr.  Dumas  into  a  private  room 
adjoining  his  main  laboratory.  Dr.  Lindsay  for  the 
first  time  watched  the  application  of  a  great  natural 
law,  as  we  now  know  it,  the  results  of  which  were 
marvelous  to  him.  I  will  not  linger  to  describe  the 
"Vibratoners"  used  by  Dr.  Dumas,  nor  the  process 
by  which  he  operated;  suffice  it  to  say  that  a  most 
wonderful  force  and  law  of  nature  was  put  into 
action  by  him. 

Dr.  Lindsay  saw  the  arm  cured  in  a  few  min- 
utes. He  was  astonished.  "Did  not  the  day  of 
miracles  cease  long  ago?"  he  thought.  He  had  seen 
Dumas,  the  mystic,  as  he  had  never  seen  him  be- 
fore! The  weird  power  which  he  yielded  seemed  to 
change  his  personality.  From  the  debonair,  sensual 
Dumas,  he  became,  in  Lindsay's  eyes,  "Dumas,  the 
Dangerous."  H,e  had  seen  the  glint  and  glitter  of  an 
awful  power  in  Dumas'  eyes. 


Dumas,   the   Mystic  19 

Dr.  Lindsay  had  seen  enough  in  the  first  demon- 
stration of  this  power  to  give  him  alarm  for  Eidola, 
his  quasi-ward,  for  whom  he  felt  a  sentiment  of 
growing  affection.  He  saw  this  young  man,  this 
patient  of  his  own — whom  he  knew  to  be  true  and 
reliable  —  he  saw  him  but  as  plaster  in  the  mystic's 
hands. 

Under  his  manipulation,  in  conjunction  with  the 
vibratoners  (for  Dr.  Lindsay  thought  these  were  in 
some  way  the  source  of  the  power),  he  saw  this 
young  man  put  into  a  deep  and  unconscious  sleep  or 
trance.  He  noted  every  point  and  every  symptom. 
He  then  saw  his  whole  body  rendered  paralytic,  then 
anesthetic,  then  rigid  as  a  bar  of  steel,  with  his 
head  resting  on  one  chair  and  his  feet  on  the  other, 
and  Dumas  standing  on  his  unbending  body,  in  a 
pose  of  triumph !  Then  he  saw  him  carried  into 
that  most  wonderful  state,  called  "somnambulism," 
when,  with  open,  though  expressionless  eyes,  he 
obeyed  every  behest  of  the  mystic.  In  this  condi- 
tion he  even  stretched  forth  the  rheumatic  hand  and 
arm  and  used  them  without  pain!  And  lo!  When 
awakened  he  was  cured,  and  knew  nothing  of  the 
many  things  he  had  said  and  done,  or  that  had  been 
done  or  said  to  him! 

During  this  same  month  Dr.  Lindsay  saw  many 
wonderful  experiments  performed  by  Dumas;  all 
forms  of  pain  relieved  under  the  weird  influence  of 
the  "Vibi*atoners,"  as  he  supposed.  He  saw  people 
made  to  see  illusions  of  all  kinds,  which  were  real  to 


20  Miss  Incognita 

them.  He  saw  the  senses  inhibited  from  performing 
their  natural  functions.  He  saw  people  caused  to  do 
things  even  after  they  were  awakened,  while  under 
this  strange  influence,  to  perform  at  some  future 
time. 

He  began  to  believe  his  eyes  and  his  ears  were 
deceiving  him,  and  Dumas  seemed  anxious  that  noth- 
ing should  be  said  about  it. 

Dr.  Lindsay  determined  to  put  Dumas  to  a  test, 
in  order  to  feel  no  more  uneasiness  about  Eidola. 
He  procured  th^  Consent  of  a  poor,  lowly  and  very 
pretty  girl,  a  thoroughly  chaste  and  pure  maiden,  so 
far  as  he  knew,  to  submit  to  an  experiment  of  this 
wonderful  power. 

She  proved  susceptible  to  this  influence.  He  saw 
that  she  did  as  she  was  ordered,  even  to  the  at- 
tempted removal  of  her  clothing,  which  was  stopped 
only  by  rescinding  the  command.  In  the  midst  of 
this,  he  (Lindsay)  all  at  once  received  a  pretended 
call,  and  left  the  room,  the  subject  being  still  in  the 
state  of  somnambulism.  Instead  of  going  to  make 
the  call,  he  entered  an  adjoining  room  to  act  as  spy. 
He  soon  detected,  beyond  doubt,  that  an  unmention- 
able crime  was  being  attempted  upon  this  subject, 
and  he  re-entered  the  room  just  in  time  to  prevent 
its  consummation. 

Of  course  Dr.  Lindsay  pretended  to  have  noticed 
nothing  wrong — but  he  had  proven  to  his  satisfaction 
that  Dumas  the  mystic  was  Dumas  th  Devil! 

Having    discovered    this    terrible    revelation    of 


Dumas,   the   Mystic  21 

Dumas'  character,  Dr.  Lindsay  set  about  with  re- 
newed zeal  to  protect  Eidola  from  him. 

There  was  a  considerable  amount  of  sentiment  in 
the  prosaic  nature  of  Dr.  Lindsay.  Furthermore  he 
was  convinced  that  he  had  reached  an  age  when  he 
ought  to  consider  matrimony  seriously. 

The  idea  of  falling  in  love  had  never  before  en- 
tered his  mind,  but  now  the  passion  seemed  to  have 
taken  possession  of  him.  He  knew  he  had  a  dan- 
gerous rival.  Then  he  thought  also :  "If  I  didn't  love 
her,  I  would  try  to  marry  her  to  protect  her  from  this 
dangerous  man,  in  whose  power  I  have  so  innocently 
1  laced  her." 

One  evening  some  weeks  after  he  had  com- 
menced giving  his  pupil  her  lessons  in  chemistry,  sit- 
ting in  his  laboratory,  Dr.  Dumas  heard  her  below 
rendering  the  grand  passages  of  Chopin.  Then  she 
sang  some  plaintive  Southern  airs  for  Dr.  Lindsay, 
who  was  by  her  side. 

He  could  not  resist  such  music  and  went  down. 

"My  dear  Miss  Eidola,  if  you  play  and  sing  like 
that  for  Dr.  Lindsay,  I  shall  have  to  give  you  double 
instructions  in  your  chemistry  and  leave  you  no  time 
for  him." 

Dr.  Lindsay  noticed  the  expression,  "My  dear 
Miss  Eidola,"  and  winced,  and  said:  "I  would  then 
be  sure  and  have  you  dismissed,  or  teach  Miss  Eidola 
to  rebel  against  your  orders." 

"But  you  know.  Dr.  Lindsay,  I  must  mind  my 
leacher,  otherwise  I  might  be  considered  a  bad  pupil," 
she  said,  laughing. 


22  Miss  Incognita 

"Then  I  insist  that  I  also  shall  teach  you,  and  you 
shall  mind«  me,  too,"  said  Dr.  Lindsay. 

"I  insist  that  she  does  not  need  two  instructors, 
whose  authority  might  conflict,"  objected  Dr.  Dumas. 

"How  do  you  like  your  chemistry,  and  how  are 
you  progressing,  Miss  Eidola?"  asked  Dr.  Lindsay, 
in  a  tone  that  suggested  his  interest  and  feeling  for 
her. 

"Splendidly.  You  see,  Doctor,  with  such  a 
teacher  and  such  admirable  instruction,  I  could  not 
help  making  rapid  progress.  I  must  thank  you  over 
and  over  again  for  suggesting  Dr.  Dumas  as  my 
tutor." 

Dr.  Dumas  curled  his  raven  black  mustache  shyly, 
and  violently  twitched  his  chin  until  he  drew  it  into 
a  dimple  in  the  center,  and  then  replied :  "Miss 
Eidola  compliments  me,  when  in  reality  it  is  only 
the  apt  pupil  that  advances  rapidly." 

Then  the  young  lady  with  much  enthusiasm  broke 
in :  "Yes,  Dr.  Lindsay,  you  should  just  hear  how 
attractive  my  teacher  makes  even  the  tedious  details 
of  chemistry — how  he  illustrates  the  peculiar,  mys- 
terious affinities  of  chemical  constituents  for  one 
another,  by  the  more  wonderful  affinity  of  soul  for 
soul  and  heart  for  heart,  and  how  there  is  this  mys- 
terious craving  for  closer  union  and  conjunction  in  all 
nature." 

"But,  my  dear  Miss  Mandeville,  has  he  done  his 
whole  duty,  and  illustrated  to  you  how  there  is  also 
an  equally  wonderful  and  mysterious,  repellent 


Dumas,   the   Mystic  23 

quality  among  chemical  constituents,  and  how  this 
same  law  obtains  even  between  souls  and  souls,  and 
hearts  and  hearts,  and  which  is  just  the  opposite  of 
this  law  of  affinity?" 

"Yes,  I  am  sure  he  spoke  of  this,  too,  and  re- 
marked how  often  this  law  was  also  illustrated  in  our 
every-day  lives,  and  how  we  are  drawn  near  to  some, 
while  others  repel  us,  as " 

"I  insist,  with  my  pupil's  permission,  that  she  is 
not  yet  ready  to  stand  her  final  examination,  and 
that  she  be  not  further  questioned,"  Dr.  Dumas  ex- 
claimed, fearing  that  his  pupil  might  carry  the  illus- 
tration of  her  comparison  too  far,  .or  at  least,  she 
might  carry  it  to  the  extent  he  had  done  in  the 
laboratory,  which  was  farther  than  he  cared  to  have 
repeated  in  the  presence  of  Dr.  Lindsay. 

Before  parting  for  the  evening,  however,  Dr. 
Lindsay  succeeded  in  making  arrangement  with  the 
young  lady  to  take  her  for  a  drive  the  next  after- 
noon. 

The  first  and  all-important  consideration  with  all 
men  of  Dr.  Dumas'  stamp  is  to  win  the  absolute 
confidence  of  those  whom  they  would  influence  or 
entrap.  He  knew  fhat  to  win  Miss  Eidola's  sym- 
pathy and  confidence  gave  him  an  infinite  power  in 
consummating  the  dark  designs  'he  had  upon  her. 
Herein  lay  his  masterly,  consummate  art,  and  his 
knowledge  of  a  great  psychological  law. 

This    species    of    confidence    and    sympathy    Dr. 


24  Miss  Incognita 

Dumas  had  very  soon  established  in  the  minds  and 
hearts  of  his  pupil  and  her  mother. 

His  next  citadel  of.  attack  would  be  the  girl's 
heart.  He  had  easily  scaled  or  demolished  the  outer 
walls  —  would  he  be  as  successful  in  taking  the 
citadel? 

On  the  appointed  afternoon  Dr.  Lindsay  called 
for  Miss  Mandeville  to  take  her  on  the  promised 
drive. 

This  plodding,  practical  man,  now  to  all  appear- 
ances in  love  for  the  first  time  in  his  life,  had  deter- 
mined to  throw  himself  as  much  in  the  company  of 
the  young  lady  as  possible. 

On  this  afternoon,  as  on  many  others,  they  drove 
through  the  -winding  labyrinths  of  the  park  and  along 
the  entrancing  lake  front. 

The  calm  beauty  of  the  quiet,  restful  sky,  the 
ever-enchanting  beauty  of  the  restless  lake,  the  life- 
giving  beauty  of  the  dallying  winds,  all  combined  to 
give  a  healthful  glow  to  the  rare,  though  latent  beauty 
of  the  frail  young  girl. 

"Miss  Mandeville,  how  much  the  lake  and  its 
waves  remind  one  of  humanity  and  human  lives," 
observed  Dr.  Lindsay.  "Humanity,  'like  the  body  of 
the  great  lake,  is  really  one — a  homogeneous  whole. 
As  out  of  the  bosom  of  the  lake  the  waves  dash  up 
toward  the  light,  so  out  of  the  one  humanity,  indi- 
vidual lives  rise  upward  and  are  seen  and  known. 
As  some  of  the  waves  rise  higher  and  become  greater 


Dumas,  the  Mystic  25 

and  more  lasting  than  others,  so  do  some  human  lives 
attain  unto  greater  personality,  power  and  fame; 
while  others,  rising  but  a  little  way,  are  noticed  only 
for  a  moment,  then  quickly  sink  back  and  are  seen 
no  more.  And  as  even  these  highest  waves  are  dashed 
into  the  midst,  if  they  rise  too  high,  and  then  are 
engulfed  the  deeper  into  the  bowels  of  the  lake, 
so  with  the  proud  and  haughty  souls  who  seek  to  sever 
themselves  from  the  inevitable  portion  of  a  common 
humanity;  they  rear  their  heads  for  a  while  but  are 
finally  dashed  beneath  the  feet  of  all. 

"As  the  lake  forever  moves,  its  waves  rising  and 
falling,  advancing  and  retreating,  forming  and  dis- 
solving, so  does  humanity :  across  this  lake,  as  across 
that  greater  one  of  humanity,  the  grim  god  of  eternal 
change  and  unrest  has  stretched  his  all  powerful 
scepter,  and  is  obeyed! 

"The  lake  moans  and  groans,  and  mutters  and 
murmurs  and  wails  and  writhes,  and  battles  with  and 
is  buffeted  by  storms  and  winds  and  tides  and  light- 
nings and  cold  and  heat — even  so  always  with  hu- 
manity." 

"How  nicely  you  become  at  the  same  time  both 
philosopher  and  poet,  dear  Doctor,"  exclaimed  Miss 
Eidola.  laying  her  delicate  hand  lightly  upon  his 
arm. 

This  seemed  to  thrill  him,  and  he  repl'Cu: 

"Indeed,  you  flatter  me.  my  dear  Miss  Eidola — 
ah.  excuse  me — Miss  Mandeville — 

"Yes,  Doctor,  call  me  by  my  given  name.    I  like 


26  Miss  Incognita 

that  better;  it  sounds  more  friendly,  you  .mow. 
Then  one's  guardian,  you  see,  need  not  be  too  for- 
mal." 

"Certainly,  Miss  Eidola;  and  it  makes  me  more 
comfortable.  You  know  it  really  hurt  me,  when  he 
and  you  and  I  were  together,  to  hear  him  saying, 
'My  dear  Miss  Eidola'  so  tenderly.  I  am  sure  he 
is  not  your  guardian,  and  you  should  not  allow  it  of 
Mm." 

"But,  Doctor,  he  is  my  dear  teacher,  and  you 
would  not  expect  teachers  to  be  distant  and  formal, 
would  you?" 

"No,  'but  teachers  should  know   their  places." 

"He  does,  but  you  know  he  is  so  agreeable.  I 
am  perfectly  at  home  in  his  presence  and  in  my  ex- 
periments with  him  in  the  laboratory." 

"Do  you  make  him  feel  perfectly  at  home  "with 
you?" 

"Why,  of  course  I  do.  I  could  not  help  doing 
so  when  he  speaks  of  the  beautiful  affinity  of  the 
various  chemical  elements,  and  likens  them  to  the 
affinity  between  us  which  makes  us  such  good  friends. 
Then  he  makes  so  many  funny  comparisons,  which 
amuse  me  very  much.  We  have  to  have  some  fun, 
you  know,  Doctor." 

"Ah,  only  friends!"  he  wondered  to  himself. 
"Only  teacher  and  pupil!  Alas!  I  see  now  what  a 
fool  I  was!" 

While  Miss  Eidola  and  Dr.  Lindsay  were  driv- 
ing Dr.  Dumas  sat  in  his  laboratory  puffing  his 


Dumas,   the   Mystic  27 

Havana  and  thinking.  Being  a  beautiful  night,  the 
couple  were  late  returning.  When  finally  he  heard 
the  merry  laugh  of  the  young  girl  for  whose  coining 
he  longed  and  waited,  he  hastily  arose,  descended 
the  stairs,  and  met  her  as  she  tripped  lightly  on  the 
veranda.  Dr.  Lindsay  had  driven  off  to  pay  a  pro- 
fessional call  which  awaited  him. 

"Oh !  I  am  so  happy  you  have  returned,"  he  ex- 
claimed, reaching  out  his  eager  hand  and  grasping 
hers  in  a  hot,  passionate  grasp,  at  the  same  time 
drawing  her  to  a  seat  beside  him  on  the  sofa  in  her 
private  parlor.  "I  thought  you  would  never  come 
back,  and  I  became  so  lonely  waiting." 

"Why  should  you  'become  lonely?"  she  asked, 
laughing  merrily.  "You  have  books,  your  labora- 
tory, your  profession,  your  thinker  to  cogitate  upon 
all  things  in  heaven  and  earth — then  why  should  you 
nr.iss  me?" 

"Is  it  really  true  that  you  do  not  know  why, 
my  dear  Miss  Eidola?" 

As  he  thus  spoke  he  gently  stole  her  hand  into 
his.  and  she  let  it  linger  there  as  though  uncon- 
scious of  its  resting-place.  She  waited  a  moment, 
then  withdrew  her  hand  from  his  and  replied:  "No, 
I  really  do  not  know  why  you  should  miss  me, 
unless  you  just  wanted  to.  Dr.  Lindsay  and  I  had 
such  a  delightful  drive.  I  did  not  know  he  could  talk 
so  well." 

Dr.  Dumas  winced  at  the  young  girl's  frnnk  com- 
pliment, and  giving  a  dry  laugh,  said:  "My  dear, 


28  Miss  Incognita 

'you  must  have  been  a  partial  listener  to  have  heard 
beautiful  things  from  Lindsay.  What  inspired 
him?" 

"Why,  I  am  sure  I  don't  know.  But  excuse 
uie,  Doctor,  won't  you?  I  must  run  and  see  how 
mother-  is;  she  doesn't  seem  to  be  well  of  late." 
And  Miss  Mandeville  tripped  lightly  to  her  mother's 
aparfment. 

Dr.  Dumas  went  out  for  a  promenade  on  the 
porch,  and  to  think  about — Lindsay.  Was  Lindsay 
really  in  love  with  her  and  did  he  intend  to  marry 
her?  Did  he  himself  ever  think  of  marrying  the 
girl,  or  imagine  she  was  a  prize  to  be  fought  over  and 
won  by  the  more  zealous  lover1? 

Dr.  Dumas  knew  enough  of  the  affairs  of  a 
woman's  heart  to  know  that  an  honest  suitor,  even 
though  he  be  an  ordinary,  phlegmatic  man,  was  a 
dangerous  rival  and  obstacle  in  the  way  of  a  suc- 
cessful flirtation.  Moreover,  he  feared  that  Lindsay 
had  suspected  his  plans  and  might  do  something  to 
seriously  interfere  with  him.  "Then  shall  I  give 
her  up  and  forego  the  rare  and  delicate  pleasure 
that  is  treasured  up  in  the,  as  yet,  latent  passion  of 
this  pure  and  fragrant  lily  of  a  girl,  whose  sweets 
no  man  but  himself  has  ever  imagined  and  yearned 
for?  No!  a  thousand  times  no,  and  as  for  Lindsay, 
I  will  brush  him  aside  as  a —  ''  and  Dr.  Dumas 
walked  the  veranda  with  quickened  pace,  and  flushed, 
determined  face. 


The  Scene  in  the  Laboratory         29 


CHAPTER  III. 

IN    THE    LABORATORY — THE    VISIT    TO    THE 
INVALID. 

Miss  EIDOLA  hurried  to  the  bedside  of  her 
mother  when  she  left  Dr.  Dumas.  Though  she  wa 
with  her  mother  constantly,  yet  she  could  see  day  by 
day  that  her  health  was  steadily  declining. 

Mrs.  Mandeville  possessed  one  of  those  delicate 
natures  that  could  not  long  survive  the  violent 
changes  of  her  emotions,  her  manner  of  life  and  love, 
her  environments  and  her  social  position. 

In  her  plantation  home  she  had  been  queen  of 
all  she  surveyed.  To  numbers  of  human  beings  her 
word  had  been  law.  Throughout  the  extended  rural 
section,  where  she  and  her  husband  were  so  widely 
known,  she  had  been  a  social  queen. 

But  now  the  tragic  catastrophes  of  change  as 
completely  inverted  her  life  as  though  a  whole  bright 
world  of  joy  and  gladness  and  hope  had  been  me- 
tamorphosed into  a  black  sphere  of  despair  and 
death.  There  was  for  her  only  one  star  in  the  whole 
black  horizon,  and  that  was  her  daughter.  For  her 
sake  alone  the  tenacity  of  the  motheim's  strong  will 
retained  hold  upon  this  hideous  mockery  of  life. 
Hence,  for  some  weeks,  while  rhe  health,  appearance 
and  spirits  of  the  daughter  had  been  rapidly  improv- 
ing, the  mother  had  been  rapidly  declining. 

Still,  at  no  time  was  her  condition  dangerous  or 
alarming,  no  more  than  is  the  gradual  and  almost 


30  Miss  Incognita 

imperceptible  burning  out  of  the  candle.  We  scarcely 
notice  its  continually  flickering  flame,  until  all  at 
once  it — goes  out. 

"Mother,  dear,  I  hope  you  are  feeling  so  much 
better  by  now.  Aren't  you1?" 

"Yes,  dear  Eidola,  I  am  sure  I  shall  be  much 
better  in  a  few  days.  We  all  have  to  be  sick  some- 
times, and  this  is  just  my  time  to  be  an  invalid,  and 
have  you  do  so  many  nice  things  for  me." 

"You  know,  mother,  I  thought  of  you  all  the  after- 
noon and  wished  you  were  with  us.  You  must  go 
with  me  next  time  I  go.  I  know  the  view  of  the  lake 
and  the  fresh,  crisp  air  will  do  you  worlds  of  good. 
Now  won't  you  go1?" 

"Of  course,  my  daughter,  if  you  wish.  Sit  down 
and  tell  me  all  about  it." 

As  a  dutiful  child  and  loving  daughter  Miss  Eidola 
recounted  to  her  mother  a  full  history  of  the  drive, 
and  in  conclusion  told  her  of  the  interview  and  pas- 
sionate utterance  of  Dr.  Dumas,  that  had  just  taken 
place  in  the  parlor. 

"And,  Eidola  dear,  what  think  you  of  his  con- 
stantly increasing  attentions?" 

"I  know  not,  mother,  unless  he  loves  me.  I  am 
feeling  myself  more  and  more  inclined  to  put  my  full 
trust  in  him." 

"If  such  be  so,  my  daughter,  I  only  hope  he  may 
be  true,  loving  and  faithful  unto  you  as  was  your 
dear  father  to  me."  And  the  poor  mother  sobbed 
aloud  at  the  thought  of  her  own  true,  chivalrous  hus- 
bajnd.  She  was  thinking  also  of  her  daughter's 


The  Scene  in  the  Laboratory          31 

future,  in  ease  of  her  death,  which  she  felt  must 
occur  at  any  time.  She  realized  that  she  could  look 
upon  this  final  catastrophe  with  much  more  resigna- 
tion if  she  knew  her  daughter's  future  was  safe  in  the 
keeping  of  some  noble,  true  man. 

"If  Dr.  Dumas  attempts  to  press  his  suit,  refer 
him  to  me.  I  should  like  to  talk  to  him." 

"I  will,  mother.  I  know  you  will  like  him  more 
as  you  know  him  better." 

The  days  flew  by  and  linked  themselves  into 
weeks,  and  Miss  Eidola  kept  apace  with  them  in  the 
rapid  progress  she  made  in  her  studies. 

The  two  gentlemen  seemed  by  this  time  to  be  full- 
fledged  rivals. 

Dr.  Dumas  had  made  no  further  passionate  ven- 
ture since  the  evening  in  the  parlor,  but  seemed  to 
have  been  trying  to  analyze  and  interpret  the  at- 
tentions of  Dr.  Lindsay,  so  as  to  detenuine  what 
course  he  should  adopt  in  his  future  suit.  The  truth 
is,  he  did  not  believe  Dr.  Lindsay  capable  of  a  deep, 
passionate  attachment,  and  he  had  made  up  his  mind 
that  Miss  Eidola  would  only  yield  to  that  species  of 
love.  But  what  puzzled  him  was  to  decide  in  what 
way  he  could  most  surely  realize  the  full  harvest  of 
his  passion. 

Could  he  so  intensify  the  love  of  the  young  girl 
as  to  win  her  love  for  love's  sake  and  joy  alone, 
as  against  the  utilitarian-love-for-marriage-sake-style 
of  Dr.  Lindsay?  If  all  else  failed,  should  he  hesitate 
to  employ  that  all-powerful  law  which  he  had  so 
successfully  used  on  other  hearts? 


32  Miss  Incognita 

One  morning,  not  long  after  this,  after  the  reg- 
ular chemical  lesson  was  over,  he  detained  his  pupil 
to  show  her  some  new  experiment  in  chemistry. 
Miss  Eidola  was  sitting  in  a  high  chair  very  close  to 
him  watching  the  experiment.  Suddenly  in  passing 
her  he  fixed  his  gaze  intently  upon  her  and  his  hand 
came  in  contact  with  hers.  He  mechanically  let  it 
pause  there.  Then  he  lifted  her  hands  and  gazed 
into  her  eyes.  He  had  made  a  test  of  a  psychological 
law  and  it  almost  assured  him  that  his  power  might 
be  counted  on.  She  did  not  hastily  remove  her  hand. 
Quietly,  unrestingly,  under  the  influence  of  some 
strange,  attractive  force,  she  leaned,  or  was  drawn 
forward,  toward  him.  Her  breath  came  thick  and 
fast.  Her  snow-white  bosom  rose  and  fell  in  rapid 
and  rythmic  undulations.  New  and  untried  currents 
of  feeling  seemed  to  be  coursing  and  rushing  through 
every  fibre  of  her  virgin  flesh.  A  new  experience 
was  at  work  for  the  first  time  beneath  the  rising  and 
falling  of  this  maiden  bosom.  Was  she  experiencing 
the  first  glad  joys  of  love1?  What  power  was  it 
which  so  irresistibly  called  it  forth?  Dr.  Dumas  was 
not  the  dullard  to  risk  the  hazard  of  a  guess  upon 
this  precious  point,  and  thus  flush  his  dainty  game. 
His  practiced  eye  and  heart  had  seen  and  felt  one 
fact;  she  experienced  the  drama  of  feeling.  He  had 
called  it  forth ! 

But  he  noted  this;  that  while  he  held  her  hand 
she  did  not  cast  down  her  eyes,  nor  looked  abashed 
as  though  she  felt  accusing  guilt  but  she  cast  a  bright, 
inquiring  look  full  in  his  face,  which  seemed  to  mean, 
"/  trust  you." 


The  Scene  in  the  Laboratory          33 

He  removed  his  hand  and  said,  "You  are  look- 
ing more  charming  every  day.  I  believe  I  am  be- 
ginning to  take  more  interest  in  my  pupil  herself 
than  in  her  lessons."  To  which  she  naively  re- 
plied : 

"If  you  will  keep  up  your  interest  in  your  pupil, 
I  will  certainly  keep  up  mine  in  the  lessons." 

"But  who  will  feel  an  interest  in  the  teacher1?" 
he  quickly  responded. 

"Oh!  The  pupil  will  be  certain  to  do  that,"  she 
said  with  a  merry  twinkle  of  her  eye,  accompanied 
by  a  flush  on  her  cheek. 

The  afternoon  of  the  same  day  found  Dr.  Dumas 
in  Mrs.  Mandeville's  room  on  a  visit  to  the  invalid 
mother. 

"I  have  not  seen  you  out  for  several  days,"  said 
the  young  doctor,  "and  desired  to  give  myself  the 
pleasure  of  calling  on  you.  I  hope,  madam,  you  have 
no  serious  indisposition." 

"Thank  you,  Dr.  Dumas,"  the  invalid  said  rather 
feebly. 

The  invalid's  face  was  very  thin  and  white.  As 
the  almost  ethereal  body  of  the  woman  shone,  and 
she  talked,  the  strong  man  of  hot  blood,  sat  leaning 
forward,  almost  over  her,  and  even  then  and  there 
was  plodding  the  ruin  of  her  fair  and  only  daughter. 

"No  doubt,  madam,  Miss  Eidola  has  been  your 
stay  and  comfort  during  all  these  sad  years." 

"My  very  life,  Doctor;  for  it  was  only  my  love 
of  her  that  sustained  me  for  a  day  after  my  husband 
was  taken  away," 


34  Miss  Incognita 

"Indeed,  madam,  you  are  blessed.  Her  mind  has 
the  strength  of  a  man's  and  the  quick  intuitions 
of  a  woman's,  and  where  you  find  this  combina- 
tion you  have  reached  the  limits  of  intellectual  poten- 
tiality." 

•  "True,  sir;  she  is  equally  excellent  in  the  quali- 
ties of  heart.  You  have  dealt  most  with  her  mind,  I 
most  with  her  heart." 

"May  I  ask  you,  madam,  if  I  too  may  deal  some- 
what with  the  qualities  of  her  heart1?"  said  the  doctor 
in  his  soft,  persuasive  tone. 

Mrs.  Mandeville  did  not  speak  for  some  mo- 
ments, but  she  was  seen  to  press  her  dainty  hand- 
kerchief to  her  eyes,  and  her  throat  was  seen  to 
contract,  as  though  she  were  pressing  back  a  sigh  or 
sob.  As  soon  as  she  could  control  her  voice,  she 
replied  with  much  feeling:  "Does  my  daughter  wish 
it?" 

"Concerning  this  I  must  refer  you.  to  her.  As  for 
myself  I  wish  it." 

"In  so  momentous  a  decision  I  cannot  act  rashly," 
she  replied.  "If  such  be  her  desire,  her  lessons  with 
you  may  continue;  if  not,  they  would  better  cease. 
Affairs  of  the  head  and  heart  do  not  mix,  especially 
where  hearts  are  consciously  at  variance." 

"Your  answer,  madam,  is  both  wise  and  agree- 
able. It  shall  be  my  honor  and  pleasure  to  speak  to 
your  daughter  later." 


A  Game  of  Hearts  35 

CHAPTER  iv. 

A   GAME  OF   HEARTS — WHO   WELL   PROVE  THE   WINNER? 

DR.  LINDSAY  realized  that  Dumas  had  a  great  ad- 
vantage of  him  on  account  of  the  daily  intercourse 
and  close  companionship  of  the  class  room.  So  he 
monopolized  all  her  time  possible  during  her  hours 
of  rest  and  recreation.  But  still,  he  knew  that  he 
was  making  but  little  headway.  At  last  he  thought : 
''I  \viFl  see  her  mother,  and  frankly  do  my  duty  by  in- 
forming her  that  I  am  convinced  I  have  made  a 
grievous  blunder  in  placing  Miss  Eidola  under  his 
tutelage.  I  will  tell  her  as  much  as  I  can  of  my 
suspicions  of  his  character  and  of  his  purposes  in  his 
relations  with  the  young  lady.  Would  to  God  'hat  I 
could  tell  her  all  I  know  of  his  attempted  crime 
against  the  poor  young  girl  whom  I  left  him  v/ith  in 
his  diabolical  experiment !  This  very  afternoon  I  will 
call  and  have  a  talk  with  her." 

True  to  his  resolution  this  honest  man  made  hjs 
call.  After  exchanging  the  usual  compliments,  and 
talking  with  Mrs.  Mandeville  concerning  her  health 
a.nd  advising  her  about  it,  he  broached  the  portentous 
topic. 

"Mrs.  Mandeville,  I  trust  you  will  receive  what 
I  shall  say  to  you  in  the  same  spirit  in  which  I  speak 
it.  I  desire  to  talk  to  you  about  the  relations  be- 
tween Miss  Eidola  and  Dr.  Dumas.  My  interest  is 
the  more  excited  in  this  matter — if  that  were  possible 
outside  of  my  own  love  for  her — because  of  the  fact 


36  Miss   Incognita 

that  I  am  responsible  for  the  relations  between  these 
two.  This  you  know.  I  want  to  advise  you  to  sever 
these  relations  if  possible.  I  think  I  know  more  of 
the  character  of  this  man  than  I  did  when  I  advised 
you  to  employ  him  as  your  daughter's  teacher." 

"I  thank  you  Dr.  Lindsay.  I  wanted  to  talk  to 
you  on  the  subject  of  my  daughter's  intimate  rela- 
tions with  Dr.  Dumas,  now  more  intimate  than,  per- 
haps, you  know  of  or  imagine" — at  this  statement 
Dr.  Lindsay  turned  pale  and  trembled — -"a  circum- 
stance happened  but  a  few  days  ago,  which  determined 
me  to  inquire  of  you  concerning  Dr.  Dumas's  ante- 
cedents. Do  you  know  anything  of  .his  past  or  of  his 
family?" 

"But  little,  madam.  He  told  me  he  was  an  orphan 
and  formerly  lived  in  Canada.  He  came  here  about 
three  years  ago.  He  is  a  strange  man  in  many  re- 
spects. Yet  he  seems  to  be  cultured,  educated,  and 
widely  traveled,  and  never  lacks  for  money." 

"Have  you  discovered  any  reasons  or  facts,  Doctor, 
to  cause  you  to  doubt  any  of  these  points'?" 

"No.  madam." 

"Then  what  has  caused  you  to  be  suspicious  and 
distrustful?" 

"Certain  matters,  madam,  concerning  his  moral 
character.  I  am  convinced  in  this  respect  he  is  an 
unsafe  and  dangerous  man — especially  so  if  your 
daughter" — at  this  point  Dr.  Lindsay  stammered  and 
almost  broke  down — "if  your  daughter,  I  was  going 
to  say,  madam,  be  in  any  unusual  way  attracted 
toward  him." 


A  Game  of  Hearts  37 

"This  would  indeed  be  most  serious,  Doctor. 
Would  that  you  had  forewarned  me  sooner,  for" 
— here  Dr.  Lindsay  became  very  much  agitated — "for 
I  fear,  to  express  it  in  no  stronger  terms,  that  my 
daughter  has  already  become  unduly  attracted  to  Dr. 
Dumas."  Then  continuing,  "Would  you,  and  could 
you,  Doctor,  give  me  some  specific,  some  definite  in- 
formation on  this  important  subject,  by  which  I  could 
judge  of  him?  Something  that  you  did  not  know 
when  you  recommended  him  to  me?" 

"Well,  really,  Mrs.  Mandeville,  this  would  be 
hard  to  do.  I  knew  at  first  he  was  inclined  to  be  a 
man  of  certain  loose  moral  habits,  and  in  talking  to 
him  about  becoming  your  daughter's  tutor,  I  speci- 
fically charged  him  that  he  must  confine  himself  to 
her  head  and  not  to  her  heart." 

"But,  Doctor,  could  this  injunction  to  him  protect 
her,  if  he  saw  fit  to  disregard  it?" 

"Of  course  not,  madam.  Yet  I  did  not  anticipate 
the  young  lady's  attachment  for  him,  for — I  must 
make  a  confession  to  you — I  loved  your  daughter 
myself,  and  was  presumptuous  enough  to  think  I 
could  win  her  and  protect  her  from  the  influence 
of  her  instructor.  I  now  avow  to  you,  I  love.  Miss 
Eidola  with  my  whole  soul  and  hope  to  save  K/." 

"For  yourself,  Doctor?  Excuse  me,  I  do  not  wish 
to  misjudge  your  motive.  I  believe  you  are  sincere. 
Dr.  Dumas  has  made  the  same  avowal." 

"He  has!"  exclaimed  Dr.  Lindsay  with'  great 
emotion.  "But,  madam,  I  hope  you  did'  not  give 
your  consent." 


38  Miss  Incognita 

"I  did  not  enter  my  disapproval,  for  I  believed 
you  would  not  have  recommended  to  me  an  unworthy 
man.  However,  I  informed  him  that  I  would  take 
the  matter  to  my  heart  and  let  him  know  my  answer. 
I  also  told  him  that  my  decision  in  the  matter  would 
depend  largely  on  my  daughter's  desires,  provided  I 
became  satisfied  that  she  was  acting  with  Avisdom  and 
with  due  regard  to  her  future  happiness." 

"Has  your  daughter  yet  made  her  decision?  Do 
you  know  the  trend  of  her  desires'?" 

"I  know  that  Dr.  Dumas  has  avowed  his  love  to 
her  many  times,  though  she  has  given  him  no  posi- 
tive encouragement.  I  am  free  to  say  to  yon,  Doctor, 
that  my  preference  as  between  you  and  him — since 
you  have  expressed  yourself  so  unreservedly  to  me, 
which  before  this  I  had  not  suspected — would  be" — 
here  Dr.  Lindsay  leaned  forward,  grasping  the  arms 
of  the  chair,  awaiting  the  next  word  with  terrible 
anxiety) — "for  you."  (At  this  point  he  had  arisen 
and  seized  her  thin  hand  in  his  own.)  "But  Doctor, 
as  much  as  I  might  feel  this  preference,  I  should  not 
take  the  responsibility  to  dictate  to  my  daughter  or 
to  thwart  her  heart's  desire  in  so  sacred  a  matter  as 
this,  provided  she  were  not  innocently  and  ignorantly 
making  a  fearful  mistake.  You  must  be  aware  of 
my  feelings  toward  you,  since  you  have  always  been 
a  true  and  tried  friend." 

"Thank  yon,  my  dear  Mrs.  Mandeville.  A  thou- 
sand times  I  assure  you,  yon  flatter  me.  I  could  not, 
I  would  not,  ask  your  daughter  to  marry  me,  if  she 
loved  another.  But  she  shall  not  love  this  man.  Ob! 


A  Game  of  Hearts  39 

That  I  could  tell  you  of  a  circumstance — but  it  might 
cause  you  to  think  I  expected  to  win  her  love  by 
the  downfall  of  another,  whose  power  and  influence, 
in  my  judgement,  will  sacrifice  her  life." 

From  this  moment  Dr.  Lindsay  aroused  himself 
from  his  sluggish  wooing,  and  brought  to  bear  all 
the  resources  of  his  practical  life  to  win  the  prize 
of  his  heart. 

At  this  time,  Miss  Eidola's  reart  was  really  in  a 
balance.  She  could  not  tell  which  way  it  would 
turn.  If  Dr.  Dumas  was  out  of  the  way,  she  would 
accept  Dr.  Lindsay  at  once.  Her  mother  had  often 
expressed  to  her  her  high  regard  for  him.  On  the 
other  hand,  if  Dr.  Lindsay  were  out  of  the  way, 
she  would  accept  Dr.  Dumas,  for  he  had  shown  every 
kindness  and  attention  possible  to  both  herself  and 
her  mother,  and  he  seemed  altogether  acceptable  to 
both. 

Thus  the  balance  was  cast  between  these  two  men. 

Dr.  Lindsay  had  this  advantage;  that  with  him 
it  was  a  game  for  a  heart  and  a  life,  while  with  Dr. 
Dumas  it  was  a  game  for  a  heart  which  he  would 
doubtless  devour,  and  cast  the  life  away  as  a  worth- 
less husk. 

As  the  days  passed  by  fortune  seemed  to  favor 
the  honest  suitor.  The  mother  favored  him,  but 
frankly  told  her  daughter  that  she  would  not  dictate 
to  her  in  so  sacred  a  matter.  Dr.  Dumas'  quick  eye 
noted  every  move  of  the  game  for  this  precious 
prize. 

The  umittered   sympathy  of  the  loving  motherjs 


40  Miss  Incognita 

intuition,  which  she  felt  for  Dr.  Lindsay,  soon  began 
to  have  its  effect.  Miss  Eidola  began  to  show  indi- 
cations in  her  demeanor  toward  Dr.  Dumas  which 
alarmed  him. 

In  the  study  room  she  was  more  indifferent  than 
formerly.  He  noticed,  too,  that  she  was  more  in  the 
company  of  Dr.  Lindsay  than  ever  before.  When 
he  saw  them  together  they  appeared  happy  and  con- 
genial. While  the  tide  had  not  yet  turned  against 
him,  he  became  convinced  that  it  was  not  flowing  his 
way,  as  it  formerly  did. 

He  now  determined  that  before  the  tide  changed 
to  the  ebb  he  would  take  decisive  action.  The  climax 
came  in  this  way :  Miss  Eidola  had  missed  one  lesson 
to  take  a  drive  with  Dr.  Lindsay.  She  told  Dr. 
Dumas  he  would  have  to  excuse  her  again  the  next 
day,  as  sjie  was  going  to  row  on  the  lake.  Then  he 
asked : 

"And  the  next  day— what?" 

"Oh,  my  lesson,  I  think,"  she  replied. 

"If  you  will  promise  to  come,  I  will  show  you 
an  extraordinary  experiment,"  he  said  with  a  strange 
emphasis. 

"I  promise,  for  you  know,  Doctor,  I  always  enjoy 
things  out  of  the  ordinary." 

"Agreed,  my  dear  Miss  Eidola.  I  will  have  every- 
thing ready  to — make — this — extraordinary — experi- 
ment— I — assure — you." 


The  Theory  of  Vibrations  41 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE   THEORY    OF    VIBRATIONS — THE    VIBRATONERS — THE 
ATTEMPTED   CRIME 

IN  science  Dr.  Dumas  was  a  theorist  and  a  mystic. 
He  loved  to  speculate  upon  the  hidden  powers  of 
nature  as  much  as  upon  the  hidden  powers  of  the 
Ueart.  He  veiled  the  true  meaning  and  import  of 
ttiat  branch  of  mystical  science  with  which  he  was 
60  familiar  under  the  term  "Vibrations."  He  claimed 
also,  that  in  order  to  demonstrate  his  theory  of  vibra- 
iions  he  had  invented  his  apparatus  mentioned  above. 
In  view  of  what  we  know  of  the  science  of  "Experi- 
mental Psychology"  today,  we  must  admit  that  those 
"Yibratoners,"  as  he  called  them,  might  prove  a 
powerful  agency  in  producing  a  state  of  hypnosis. 

Both  his  mind  and  heart  now  told  him  that  the 
subject  and  the  occasion  had  met  to  make  the  most 
important  experiment  of  his  life. 

The  next  morning  when  Miss  Eidola  was  to  come 
he  had  arranged  hi?  study  and  laboratory  with  usual 
care  and  taste.  In  addition  to  more  tasteful  arrange- 
ment, he  had  his  most  remarkable  "Hydro-Electro- 
Vibratoners"  displayed  on  this  occasion  in  all  their 
glory. 

She  tripped  into  the  laboratory  this  morning  with 


42  Miss   Incognita 

a  joyous  eye,  a  beaming  face  and  a  rapidly  beating 
heart. 

When  he  opened  the  door  to  receive  her  his  eye 
feasted  upon  the  luscious  embodiment  of  grace  and 
beauty  and  his  heart  grew  jealous  of  his  eye  and 
yearned  to  share  in  its  intoxication.  But  as  no 
trained  mariner  casts  his  anchor  until  he  has  taken 
his  bearings,  so  on  the  sea  of  love  no  skillful  lover 
trusts  to  impulse  unless  it  is  formed  and  guided  in 
accordance  with  cooler  judgment. 

His  "cooler  judgment"  had  already  planned  for 
this  drama  of  passion,  and  he  now  proceeded  to  carry 
it  to  a  final  execution. 

Dr.  Dumas  held  out  his  hand,  as  he  opened  the 
door  to  admit  his  pupil,  and  grasping  hers,  said: 

"Good  morning,  sweet  one!  May  I  say  it1?"  He 
looked  intently  into  her  eyes,  noting  the  effect  of  his 
words. 

"How  it  delights  me  to  welcome  you  and  feast 
my  eyes  upon  you.  You  are  really  a  vision  of  beauty 
this  morning." 

"Oh,  Dr.  Dumas.  You  should  not  flatter  me  so, 
or  I  shall  have  to  leave  you.  But  look,  what  have 
you  here?  Oh!  How  beautiful  and  wonderful!  What 
have  you  done?" 

Dr.  Dumas  had  led  her  some  paces  into  the 
room,  holding  her  hand  tenderly. 

"My  dear  pupil,  this  is  the  apparatus  designed  to 
make  the  'extraordinary  experiment'  I  promised  you." 

The  laboratory  was  an  oblong  room  at  the  end  of 
a  hall.  There  were  two  windows  of  frosted  glass 


The  Theory  of  Vibrations  43 

that  opened  out  over  a  court.  Hanging  from  the 
ceiling  were  four  peculiar  vessels  or  globes  like 
spheres  of  cut  glass  about  fifteen  inches  in  circum- 
ference. Out  of  the  upper  side  of  each  sphere  ex- 
tended a  singular  serpentine  chimney  of  tinted  glass, 
which  was  connected  with  some  retort  in  the  center  of 
the  sphere.  Running  into  this  hidden  retort  from 
seven  directions  from  above,  were  seven  tri-colored 
glass  pipes  of  about  an  inch  in  diameter  and  extend- 
ing about  a  foot  above. 

The  ends  of  these  pipes  expanded  without  into 
globes  of  about  six  inches  in  circumference,  which 
seemed  to  be  filled  with  some  substance  which  al- 
ternately passed  from  the  liquid  to  the  gaseous  state. 

Moulded  in  the  glass,  and  passing  through  each 
of  these  globes,  and  through  the  central  retort,  were 
a  series  of  small  wires,  which  were  connected  in  the 
laboratoi'y  with  an  electric  battery,  which  sent  a  cur- 
rent into  these  globes  and  into  the  central  retort. 
No  one  except  Dr.  Dumas  knew  the  composition  of 
the  strange  substance  in  the  retorts  and  globes, 
which  changed  its  nature  from  liquid  to  gaseous  with 
almost  infinite  alternations. 

These  seven  globes  seemed  to  feed  the  hidden  re- 
torts inside  the  spheres,  and  out  of  the  retorts, 
through  the  many-colored  serpentine  glass  chimney, 
there  issued  a  mysterious  vapor  which  filled  the 
shaded  room  with  a  vague,  fragrant,  overpowering, 
soporific  odor.  One  instant  this  weird  vaporous  light 
was  violet,  then  blue,  then  red,  then  green,  then  yellow, 
etc.,  until  all  the  seven  colors  of  the  prism  had  pre- 


44  Miss  Incognita 

dominated.  Then  they  all  seemed  to  unite  for  an 
instant,  forming  the  pure  white  light  as  of  the  sun. 
Then  quickly  it  would  dissolve,  and  the  rapidly 
vibrating  colors  would  begin  over  again. 

The  strange  part  of  it  was  that  the  beautiful 
glow  which  came  out  of  the  serpentine  chimney  and 
filled  the  room  was  not  of  the  nature  of  pure  light, 
but  some  substance  evolved  by  this  mysterious  mechan- 
ism of  the  chemist,  which  caused  remarkable  series 
of  vibrations  in  the  surrounding  ether,  and  which 
produced  a  soothing,  monotonous  hum,  which  seemed 
to  weary,  and  then  to  lull  into  sleep,  the  ear  and  the 
brain. 

Near  the  center  of  the  room  was  a  little  wheel, 
used  to  regulate  or  shut  off  the  electric  current.  The 
frosted  windows  of  the  room  had  been  veiled  in  thick, 
dark  curtains,  so  that  there  was  no  light,  color  or 
glow,  except  that  issuing  from  the  lightendowed  vapor, 
which  the  mystic  was  generating  by  his  mysterious 
process.  The  combined  effect  was  indescribable. 

There  seemed  to  be  an  infinitely  rapid  vibratory 
battle  in  the  spacial  ether  of  the  room  which  some- 
what paralyzed  the  objective  action  of  the  senses. 

In  addition  to  these  exquisite  colors  and  the 
strange  weird  sound  which  chanted  a  perpetual  lull- 
aby, the  laboratory  was  filled  with  a  most  delicious 
odor  which  was  intended  to  help  intoxicate  the  su^je*"- 

Dr.  Dumas  said:  "Why,  my  dear,  this  is  an 
unknown  invention  of  my  own,  which  I  call  my 
'Hydro-Electro- Vibratoner.'  It  has  never  been  seen 
or  known  outside  of  my  laboratory.  Don't  you  feel 
its  delightful  effects'?" 


The  Theory  of  Vibrations  45 

"Oh,  yes,  Doctor;  it  seems  like  a  dream  of  heaven. 
Tell  rue  about  it  while  I  sit  here  and  look  at  it  and 
drink  in  this  fragrance." 

She  advanced  toward  a  lounge  which  he  had 
arranged  near  the  center  of  the  room.  He,  half 
embracing  her,  looked  into  her  eyes  with  a  determined, 
unwavering  concentration.  He  placed  her  by  his  side 
on  the  lounge  and  said:  Now  if  you  desire  to  ex- 
perience the  delightful  effects  of  this  experiment  you 
must  keep  your  eyes  immovably  fixed  on  this  certain 
vibratoner.  Don't  move  them  for  an  instant,  and  as 
you  look  I  will  explain  this  apparatus  to  you.  By 
this  I  demonstrate  the  vibratory  theory  of  not  only 
light  and  electricity,  but  of  chemi«al  affinity,  human 
emotion,  passion,  and  even  thought.  "We  might  com- 
pare its  effect  and  its  operations  to  those  wonderful 
effects  produced  by  music.  Music  is  nothing  but  vi- 
brations of  the  air,  which,  through  the  ear,  affect  the 
brain  and  the  sensations.  The  emotions  of  the  listen- 
er become  en  rapport  with  the  state  of  the  vibrations 
set  up  '"n  the  external  air.  The  joyful  dance  of  the 
music  in  the  air  becomes  the  dance  of  the  molecules 
cf  the  brain,  and  we  are  thrilled  with  the  enthusiasm 
cf  the  dance.  If  the  music  be  of  passionate  tone 
and  time,  our  passions  become  stirred,  and  we  feel 
the  ecstacy  or  woe  of  the  music.  If  the  music  wail, 
our  hearts  wail;  if  it  exult,  our  hearts  exult.  All  the 
gamut  of  our  emotions  and  passions  are  touched  and 
stirred  by  the  consonant  vibrations  of  the  music. 
Music  is  but  the  vibration  of  the  air  set  to  the  time 
and  tone  established  by  nature's  laws." 

While  he  was  saying  these  things  he  bent  over  his 


46  Miss  Incognita 

fair  subject  and  every  now  and  then  interspersed 
his  remarks  by  phrases  like  this :  "Be  sure  and  keep 
your  eyes  fixed — don't  move  them — at  the  same  time 
listen  to  the  sweet  hum  and  lullaby  of  the  vibratoner 
— breathe  deeply  and  draw  in  these  exquisite  odors 
emitted  from  this  pure  ether!  Look,  listen,  breathe, 
think  of  nothing  but  these  exquisite  delights."  Then 
continuing,  he  said,  in  a  slow,  monotonous  tone: 

"What  is  true  of  the  vibration  of  the  air  is  also 
true  of  the  vibration  of  the  subtler  element  known 
rs  the  ether.  The  ether  pervades  not  only  the  inter- 
stellar space  and  the  earth's  atmosphere,  but  it  also 
passes  through  all  solid,  opaque  objects.  Everything 
is  open  to  its  subtle  influence.  It  vibrates  through 
your  brain  and  mind,  and  can  be  made  the  direct 
agent  and  medium  for  the  excitation  and  expression 
of  thought,  emotion  and  passion.  I  knew  that  nothing 
could  be  more  interesting  to  my  pupil  than  a  demon- 
stration of  her  own  experience  of  my  theory."  As 
he  talked  to  her  he  gradually  drew  her  more  closely 
to  his  side.  She  did  not  resist. 

"What  strange,  exquisite  emotions  are  these  I 
experience?  The  delightful  sensations  produced  by 
this  light,  color  and  fragrance  seem  to  be  overpower- 
ing me." 

He  gazes  into  her  face  with  a  deeper  and  more 
penetrating  stare.  He  sees  that  her  eyes  are  closed 
and  her  face  is  as  placid  and  innocent  as  a  sleeping 
angel.  He  makes  certain  strange  movements  about 
her,  touching  her  brow,  head  and  temples  here  and 
there,  and  muttering  weird  words  in  her  ear.  He 


The  Theory  of  Vibrations  47 

partly  lifted  her  lids  so  that  the  eyes  were  half  closed 
in  a  ireamy  ecstacy — but  she  did  not  move. 

"The  current,  sweet  one,  which  I  am  now  passing 
through  the  vibratoners  creates  those  vibrations  which 
are  in  consonance  with  and  productive  of  pleasurable 
emotions  and  sensations.  You  are  now  so  happy ! 
You  are  overwhelmed  with  joy !  So  happy !  So 
happy!" 

He  waited  a  few  minutes,  and  watched  her  face 
wreathed  in  smiles.  He  looked  into  her  dreaming 
eyes,  now  filled  with  a  strange  light.  He  saw  the 
entranced,  expectant  smile  upon  her  crimson  lips.  A 
little  movement  of  his  hand  before  her  face,  and  a 
little  turn  of  the  wheel  by  his  side,  which  regulated 
the  current  and  the  rapidity  of  the  vibrations,  and 
lo !  all  this  joy  passed  away.  She,  entranced,  heard 
him  saying: 

"Now  see,  my  dear  girl.  _  can  change  the  current 
to  one  in  consonance  with  the  emotions  of  fear  and 
you  are  filled  with  fright.  Fear  now  has  taken  pos- 
session of  you !  Look  you,  the  glow  from  the  ser- 
pentine pipes,  passing  up  out  of  the  retorts,  glim- 
mers and  gleams  and  flashes  and  flickers  and. trembles, 
and  then  darts  out  and  back  again,  setting  up  this 
strange  vibration  of  the  ether  which  accompanies 
and  produces  fear!  Look  how  you  turn  pale  and 
cling  to  me  and  tremble!  There — now  you  shall  en- 
dure it  no  longer!  It  is  gone!"  He  changed  the  cur- 
rent back  to  its  former  state,  made  a  strange  move- 
ment with  his  hand  before  her  face,  and  untwining 
the  affirightened  girl's  arms  from  about  him,  said: 


48  Miss  Incognita 

"I  know  you  will  pardon  me,  but  I  could  not 
resist  showing  you  all.  We  are  here  to  learn  and 
shall  we  not  experience  all  the  emotions,  my  sweet 
love?"  he  asked  with  a  strange  and  dangerous  em- 
phasis. Again  he  turned  the  little  wheel,  changing  the 
current,  saying :  "You  will  love,  you  will  love  me  with 
all  the  passion  of  your  heart?" 

Eidola  made  no  audible  reply,  but  seemed  trans- 
formed in  an  instant  from  the  miserable  state  of  fear 
to  that  ecstatic  one  of  intense  emotional  love. 

She  again  closed  her  eyes  under  the  weird  touch 
and  movement  of  his  hand.  He  laid  her  down  upon 
the  silken  lounge,  and  standing  over  her  made  strange 
manipulations  through  the  air  above  her  person,  mut- 
tering passionate  incantations  into  her  ear  all  the 
while,  a  mystic  procedure  whose  awful  meaning,  sig- 
nificance and  power  are  today  known  only  to  a  few 
psychologists  and  taught  to  the  uninitiated  only  under 
the  most  solemn  vows. 

After  a  few  moments  of  this  strange  procedure 
he  tenderly,  though  earnestly,  spoke  into  her  now 
plastic  ear  and  brain  these  words:  "You  will  love  me! 
You  will  love  me  with  all  the  power  of  your  life, 
of  your  mind,  of  your  heart!  You  will  love  me  only 
of  all  men  upon  the  earth,  and  you  will  love  me  for 
ever  and  ever."  Eidola  quivered  in  every  fibre  of  her 
being.  Her  emotions  were  quickly  possessed  by  an 
all-powerful  yearning  and  irresistable  passion.  Then 
the  mystic  continued :  "The  first  time  you  meet  your 
mother  and  Dr.  Lindsay  together  you  will  say  to 
them — and  remember  you  cannot  resist  saying  it — 


The  Theory  of  Vibrations  49 

you  will  say,  'I  love  Dr.  Dumas  above  all  on  earth, 
and  love  only  him.'  You  will  say  these  words— -you 
will — you  will."  Those  words  he  repeated  in  her  ea; 
a  number  of  times. 

From  the  moment  this  injunction  of  love  was 
seared  into  her  entranced  brain  and  heart,  she  felt 
that  she  loved  the  man  to  whom  she  was  clinging 
and  who  was  so  tenderly  embracing  her,  with  all  the 
pasisonate  ardor  of  her  thoroughly  and  suddenly- 
aroused  nature,  and  with  all  the  intensity  of  her  being, 
life,  body  and  soul ! 

He  had  long  planned  and  labored  to  allure  her 
confidence  and  even  incite  her  normal  love,  so  that 
when  this  crucial  moment  should  come  she  would  be 
wholly  his,  and  more  than  that,  surely  and  easily 
his. 

He  now  saw  her  clinging  about  his  neck  with  her 
lips  upturned  to  his;  these  lips  were  half  parted,  and 
as  crimson  and  moist  as  the  ripe  cherry  when  the 
nectar  of  the  dawn  is  upon  it.  Her  mouth  was  always 
a  sweet  and  beautiful  one,  whose  lips,  even  when  far 
away  from  you,  curled  and  curved,  and  pouted,  and 
smiled,  and  parted,  and  blushed,  and  wept,  as  she 
willed. 

But  as  the  love-famished  man  looked  down  upon 
these  lips,  now  so  close  to  his,  and  saw  upon  them 
all  the  freshness  and  sweetness  and  beauty  and  excite- 
ment and  intoxication  of  love's  first  carnival,  he  was 
overcome!  He  must  be  dreaming.  He  looked  about 
him  and  saw  the  infinitely  rapid  glow  of  the  unchained 
ether.  The  multicolored  gleam  of  the  vibratoners  daz- 


50  Miss  Incognita 

zled  before  and  into  his  eyes  and  into  his  brain  and 
into  Ms  heart,  and  unchained  every  feeling  and  emo- 
tion and  ecstacy  and  yearning  and  hunger  and  thirst 
of  his  long  pent-up  and  intensified  passion,  even  as 
it  had  unchained  the  wild  and  jubilant  ether  whose 
ecstatic  dance  now  filled  this  lover's  hall. 

By  his  side  was  the  little  wheel,  whose  slightest 
turn,  with  one  word  from  him  spoken  into  her  ear, 
would  stem  this  tide  of  blessed  joy  and  irresistible 
passion  which  filled  the  illimitable  ocean  of  its  en- 
raptured being.  One  word  and  a  motion  of  his  hand 
and  it  would  be  done!  Must  he  do  this  and  so  change 
the  current  of  passion  which  was  speeding  on  its 
burning  course  through  his  being  and  through  hers1? 
Alas!  He  had  waited  too  long!  He  reached  a  point 
where  his  reason  was  impotent  to  reach  his  heart. 
Had  he  not  waited  and  planned  and  thirsted  for  just 
this  heaven?  Had  he  not  for  so  long  a  time  foregone 
all  other  and  coarser  pleasures  for  this  rare  and 
blessed  feast,  the  first  passion  of  a  virgin's  heart? 
Had  he  not  day  after  day  watched  the  frail  bud  of 
this  lily  of  love  as  it  grew  and  developed,  until  now, 
even  in  his  arms,  it  had  burst  into  fragrance  and  full- 
grown  beauty?  Should  he  not  inhale  its  fragrance 
and  taste  its  sweetness? 

Why  was  beauty,  love  and  passion  given  if  not 
to  worship  and  enjoy?  Was  not  this  his  only  heaven, 
and  must  he  refuse  to  enter  into  its  joys?  He  quelled 
his  cavilling  thoughts,  and  nerved  his  doubting  heart, 
and  again  fastened  the  full  vision  of  his  eyes  upon 
the  fair  reality  that  rested  upon  his  bosom.  Her 


The  Theory  of  Vibrations  51 

eyes,  which,  by  his  touch,  were  now  opened,  were 
melting  in  their  tenderness,  and  spoke  worlds  to  him, 
just  as  when  you  look  into  the  placid  waters  of  the 
lake  and  it  shows  you  all  the  beauties  of  the  heavens 
above.  Her  cheeks  were  aflame !  The  snow-white 
bosom  just  beneath  that  filmy  snow-white  dress  rose 
and  fell  as  though  beckoning  him  on.  Her  little 
hand  pressed  against  his  neck,  and  its  warm  touch 
incited  him  irresistably  on  to  the  full  fruition  of  his 
desires.  He  looked  once  more  upon  her  lips.  His 
own  fell  upon  them.  He  drew  her  face  closer  and 
closer  to  his.  He  pressed  her  yielding  form  to  him- 
self with  all  the  awful,  though  tender  force  of  love's 
own  clasp.  One  moment  more — but  at  this  instant 
he  saw  her  body  becoming  convulsed;  the  happy, 
dreamy  look  passed  out  of  her  eyes.  With  a  mighty 
up-rushing  of  some  protecting  power  within  her,  she 
gave  one  mighty  effort  and  sprang  from  his  embrace 
exclaiming: 

"My  love!  my  love!  Though  it  be  sweeter  than 
life,  it  must  yield  to  reason !  Oh  I  My  lover,  com- 
mit no  sin  against  it!  I  love,  I  love  yon,  only  you  and 
that  forever  and  ever!"  Then  by  a  wave  of  his  hand 
she  was  brought  back  to  her  normal  consciousness, 
remembering  nothing  of  her  strange  experience,  but 
saying  continually :  "I  love  you,  my  life,  and  you 
only  of  all  men !" 

The  same  instant  the  door  of  the  laboratory 
opened  and  the  voice  of  Dr.  Lindsay  was  heard  say- 
ing: 

"Say,  Dr.  Dumas,  where  is  my  case  of  instruments 


52  Miss  Incognita 

you  borrowed?  I  must  have  them  at  once."  And 
the  next  minute,  having  now  entered  the  room,  he 
said,  while  his  voice  quivered,  and  his  face  was  pale 
as  death :  "Bless  me,  Dumas,  here  you  are  fooling 
with  your  nonsensical  vibratoners,  and  wasting  your 
time  and  your  pupil's.  Excuse  "me,  Miss  Eidola,  you 
look  pale.  Are  you  ill?" 

"Oh,  no,  Doctor;  your  sudden  entrance  shocked 
me.  Irdid  not  dream  you  were  near." 

"You  may  be  sure,"  said  Dr.  Dumas,  "that  Lind- 
say is  always  where  he  is  not  wanted" — this  he  said 
with  a  scowl  of  anger  upon  his  face,  then  toning  his 
voice  down  somewhat,  he  continued :  "Your  case  of 
instruments  is  in  my  private  office  there.  You  inter- 
rupted one  of  my  most  beautiful  experiments  by 
coming  in  here." 

"Oh,  no,  Doctor,"  said  Eidola,  softly,  "the  experi- 
ment was  completed.  You  must  not  be  too  severe 
toward  Dr.  Lindsay!". 

"Never  mind,  Miss  Eidola,"  said  the  latter;  "I 
care  little  for  what  he  says,  and  take  no  stock  in  his 
speculative  theories  about  'Vibrations/  but  still  I 
don't  see  what  good  you  are  to  derive  from  such  far- 
fetched theories  and  experiments.  Leave  ofOnow,  and 
come,  go  driving  with  me." 

"With  pleasure,  Doctor,  if  my  teacher  will  ex- 
cuse me."  This  she  said  with  a  smile  and  a  glow  of 
the*  cheeks,  as  she  looked  toward  Dr.  Dumas. 

"Oh,  of  course,  Miss  Eidola,  if  you  desire  it; 
anything  to  get  rid  of  Lindsay."  And  then  to  himself 
he  said:  "I  have  no  fear  of  him  now." 


The  Theory  of  Vibrations  53 

Dumas  remained  in  his  laboratory  after  they  had 
gone,  absorbed  in  thought. 

"A  wonderful  law  in  this  science  has  forced  its 
truth  upon  me.  She  yielded  not  to  me  under  the 
pressure  of  the  most  overpowering  mastery  one  being 
can  exercise  over  another — the  only  exception  in  all 
my  experiments.  How  can  I  explain  it?  I  can 
think  of  only  one  explanation,  and  that  is  because 
her  virgin  heart  is  absolutely  pure  and  fixed  in  her 
moral  principles.  And  hence  the  power  of  her  chaste 
soul-nature  to  resist  was  more  powerful  than  this, 
the  greatest  personal  force — yea,  the  most  overpower- 
ing force  in  nature!  She  overcame  me,  even  in 
spite  of  that  intense  love  which  I  know  I  have  in- 
spired in  her  heart  for  me.  Now  I  knew  she  is  a 
virgin,  pure  and  undefiled  in  soul  as  well  as  in  body. 
I  am  now  the  more  resolved  to  possess  the  joy  she 
can  give  me.  One  thing  I  know:  She  loves  me  and 
will  continue  to  do  so  with  an  ever-growing  passion." 


54  Miss  Incognita 


CHAPTER  VI. 

IGNORANTIA  JURIS  NON  EXCUSAT THE  OPERATION  OF  A 

STRANGE  LAW — IN  THE  COURSE  OF  HUMAN  EVENTS. 

What  is  true  of  human  laws  as  expressed  by  the 
maxim,  ignorantia  Juris  non  excusat,  is  also  true  of 
the  divine  or  natural  law,  upon  which  human  law  is 
based.  The  laws  of  nature  operate  with  a  fixed,  in- 
exorable certainty.  Though  we  be  ignorant  of  them 
and  their  operations,  yet  neither  our  ignorance  nor 
innocence  will  cause  them  to  vary  in  one  iota  from 
their  eternal  sequences.  So  Dr.  Lindsay's  ignorance 
and  Miss  Eidola's  innocence  and  ignorance  did  not 
cause  a  shadow  of  turning  in  the  execution  of  that 
law  of  psychology,  and  of  our  being,  which  Dr. 
Dumas  had  evoked  in  the  subconscious  nature  or 
subjective  mind  of  the  young  lady. 

Dumas  knew  positively  that  the  first  time  Miss 
Eidola,  her  mother  and  Dr.  Lindsay  were  together, 
she  would  be  controlled  by  that  fixed  law  of  "Post- 
Hypnotic  suggestion"  (as  psychology  now  terms  it), 
which  he  had  given  her  while  in  the  impressible  state 
he  had  induced.  He  had  not  long  to  wait  for  that 
inevitable  and  most  impressive  occurance.  The  second 
day  after  the  making  of  this  experiment  in  the  labo- 
ratory on  Miss  Eidola,  Dr.  Lindsay  called  on  her  and 
her  mother,  as  he  had  been  doing  very  often  of  late. 
He  had  been  pressing  his  suit  with  all  the  vigor  of 


The  Operation  of  a  Strange  Law       55 

his  heart  and  soul.  But  she  appeared  more  distant 
and  unresponsive  to  him  than  she  had  ever  been.  He 
could  not  understand  this  startling  recent  change. 
He  was  discouraged  and  thought  he  would  relieve  the 
situation  by  asking  for  Mrs.  Mandeville,  and  they 
would  all  have  a  friendly  talk  together  before  he 
left.  Upon  his  request  Miss  Eidola  called  her  mother. 

From  the  moment  she  came  in,  an  unearthly, 
dreamlike  expression  came  over  the  countenance  of 
Miss  Eidola.  Her  wide-open  eyes  became  like  those 
of  a  beautiful  doll — fixed,  expressionless,  but  withal, 
heavenly. 

They  appeared  to  be  gazing  far  away  into  some 
other  world.  During  the  period  of  this  Teird,  un- 
earthly metamorphosis — which  was  observed  at  once 
both  by  Dr.  Lindsay  and  the  mother — she  was 
strangely  silent  for  a  few  moments  as  though  a  con- 
flict were  raging  within  her  soul  while  her  body  re- 
mained placid  and  inactive.  Then  they  noticed  that 
suddenly  her  face  began  to  glow  with  joy  while  her 
eyes  still  remained  unmoved.  She  began  to  sway  her 
body  slightly.  Then  she  arose  in  an  alert  position, 
with  her  hands  by  her  side,  and  her  face  and  eyes 
turned  upward.  She  stood  thus  but  a  moment — 
then,  in  a  low,  quiet,  sweet  but  firm  voice  she  said: 

"I  love  Dr.  Dumas  above  all  on  earth,  and  1  love 
only  him." 

There  lived  in  the  lower  part  of  the  city  a  man 
named  Snoots — a  kind  of  "a  fellow  about  town"  who 
was  a  "chum"  of  Dr.  Dumas  when  he  entered  into 


56  Miss  Incognita 

his  carousals  on  the  -shady  side  of  his  life,  which  he 
often  did,  and  who  was  also  one  of  the  subjects  of 
Dumas  the  mystic  when  he  desired  to  interest  himself 
on  the  mystical  side  of  his  life.  Snoots  was  a  broad- 
nosed,  red-eyed,  sandy-haired  fellow  with  a  thick 
neck  and  stout,  short  body. 

He  never  had  any  regular  occupation.  He  was  a 
frequenter  of  dives  and  dens,  and  made  a  specialty 
of  various  transactions  of  a  shady  character. 

Closely  associated  wyith  him  socially,  morally  and 
intellectually,  was  a  quack  doctor  named  Swindle, 
who  also  was  one  of  the  subjects  of  Dumas  the 
mystic.  He  was  an  angular-bodied,  weasel-faced 
person,  with  little  black  eyes,  black,  busy  hair  and 
a  yellow  skin  without  beard.  His  nose  was  the  most 
prominent  part  of  his  physiognomy;  everything  else 
seemed  to  tend  toward  this  nose,  and  to  have  contribut- 
ed to  its  formation.  It  was  high  and  bony.  His 
dress  was  of  the  clerical  cut  and  he  wore  a  faded  silk 
beaver. 

"Dr."  Swindle's  "office"  was  in  an  upper  room 
over  a  third-class  barroom,  where  he  carried  on  a 
"practice"  of  varied  and  questionable  character. 

Dr.  Swindle,  in  his  ministerial  character,  was 
quite  often  engaged  by  certain  ones  of  the  Chicago 
swell  set  to  perform  marriage  ceremonies,  which,  by 
the  "high  contracting  parties"  of  the  male  part, 
were  not  expected  nor  intended  to  last  "until  death  us 
do  part." 

Upon  all  these  occasions,  whenever  the  valued: 
services  of  Dr.  Swindle  were  called  into  requisition, 
it  was  the  custom  that  Snoots  was  to  be  the  particu- 


The  Operation  of  a  Strange  Law       57 

lar  friend  and  "best  man"  of  the  would-be  groom. 
He  assisted  in  making  various  arrangements  for  the 
groom,  and  in  creating  the  demand  for  the  services  of 
Dr.  Swindle. 

Both  of  these  men,  as  we  have  stated,  were  the 
subjects*  of  Dr.  Dumas,  the  mystic,  and  were  often 
experimented  upon  by  him  under  the  influence  of  the 
vibratoners.  They  were  absolutely  under  his  power 
without  the  use  of  the  vibraroners. 

He  could  fasten  in  their  minds  any  illusions  he 
desired.  Any  command  or  suggestion  he  gave  them 
when  they  were  under  the  hypnotic  influence,  to  be 
performed  at  any  time  thereafter,  were  always  done 
by  them. 


It  is  now  September -and  the  coming  of  autumn 
weather  made  itself  manifest  by  the  cool  evening 
breezes  stealing  across  from  the  lake. 

On  this  morning  Dr.  Lindsay  went  into  the  office 
of  Dr.  Dumas  to  consult  a  medical  authority.  On 
the  center  table  were  paper,  ink  blotter  and  maga- 
zines. On  one  side  of  the  office  was  a  mirror  that 
extended  almost  to  the  floor.  Dr.  Lindsay  happened 
to  glance  in  the  mirror  and  thought  he  saw  therein  a 
name  of  which  he  had  heard.  It  seemed  to  be  written 
on  a  piece  of  paper  lying  on  the  table  by  which  he 
stood.  He  looked  carefully  at  every  piece  of  paper 
on  the  table,  but  saw  no  writing.  Then  standing  at 
the  other  end  of  the  table  he  looked  again  in  the 
mirror,  and  there,  written  in  a  bold,  fresh  hand,  he 


58  Miss  Incognita 

read  these  words,  composing  the  following  brief  and 
pointed  letter: 

"1001  LINCOLN  PARK  SQUARE,  Sept.  5th,  '68. 
"MR.  PETER  SNOOTS,  500  1-2  Bowery  Place,  City. 

"DEAR  SNOOTS  :  Another  heart  affair.  The  climax 
is  for  tomorrow  night,  8 :30  o'clock.  You  and  Swindle 
come  in  usual  style;  bring  bogus  license — bright  wo- 
man— beware!  You  will  not,  you  cannot  fail  me. 

"As  ever  yours,  DUMAS." 

Dr.  Lindsay  strained  his  eyes  into  the  glass  and 
peered  at  all  angles  to  locate  the  origin  of  this  won- 
derful optical  illusion  which  he  was  sure  he  was 
experiencing.  Finally  his  eyes  fell  upon  a  large 
square  piece  of  blotting  paper  upon  which  he  saw 
the  inverted  words  of  a  letter  which  had  just  been 
blotted.  He  examined  the  blotter  and  then  held  it 
up  before  the  glass,  and  lo !  he  read  the  identical 
letter  which  he  had  first  seen,  the  glass  revealing  the 
characters  in  their  erect  and  proper  position. 

He  determined  to  kill  Dumas  on  sight.  However, 
on  second  thought,  he  concluded  that  this  would  not 
do.  He  did  not  know  what  the  real  relations  might 
be  between  the  young  lady  and  Dumas.  He  had  not 
paid  her  so  much  attention  as  formerly,  since  that 
fatal  day  when  his  hopes  were  blasted  by  her  words 
of  doom,  so  strangely  uttered.  Still  he  had  continued 
to  be  their  true  and  tried  friend.  He  took  for  granted 
that  in  due  time  Dumas  and  Miss  Eidola  would  be 
married  and  all  would  be  well.  He  thought  that  Dr. 


The  Operation  of  a  Strange  Law       59 

Dumas,  even  despite  his  past  record,  might  turn  out 
a  fairly  good  husband.  He  was  too  sensible  a  man 
to  grieve  over  spilt  milk.  His  relations  with  Dr. 
Dumas  had  continued  pleasant  and  friendly,  notwith- 
standing the  rivalry  which  had  existed  between  them. 

He  had  congratulated  himself  that  all  was  going 
well  with  the  mother,  daughter  and  her  fiance.  Now 
when  Dr.  Lindsay  was  consoling  himself  that  soon 
he  would  consider  his  feelings  of  responsibility  for 
these  delicate  ladies  ended — just  as  soon  as  this  mar- 
riage took  place — here  comes  this  diabolical  revela- 
tion. 

He  was  perplexed  and  puzzled.  And  still  he  knew 
and  swore  that  something  should  be  done  at  once. 
He  was  satisfied  that  the  young  lady  and  her  mother 
tad  expected  this  marriage  to  take  place.  Whether 
Dumas  was  planning  and  carrying  out  this  bogus  mar- 
riage for  the  purpose  of  temporarily  smoothing  over 
and  setting  aright  some  past  conduct  of  his,  or  to  put 
rito  execution  certain  plans  he  had  for  the  future. 
T>r.  Lindsay  could  not  tell.  He  did  not  know  but 
that  there  had  been  occurrences  in  the  continued 
relations  of  this  man  and  his  pupil  since  he  had 
roticed  his  strange  influence  over  her,  which  would 
render  even  the  bogus  marriage  a  temporary  blessing 
to  the  girl  and  her  mother.  Then  his  mind  quickly 
concluded :  "No ;  even  in  such  a  case  this  second 
wrong  against  her  will  not  set  aright  nor  remove  the 
first.  I  pledge  myself  to  see  that  this  marriage  is 
consummated  according  to  law!  I  swear  that  I  will 
do  it!  The  young  lady's  past  relations  to  me  and 
mine  to  her  make  it  my  duty." 


60  Miss  Incognita 

Miss  Eidola  and  her  mother  had  requested  of  Dr. 
Dumas  (though  he  really  in  his  adroit  way  had  sug- 
gested it)  that  the  marriage  be  as  quiet  and  .unpre- 
tentious as  possible.  They  had  left  the  arrangement 
of  everything  in  his  hands.  Mrs.  Mandeville's  health 
was  in  a  very  precarious  condition,  and  she  could 
not  undergo  any  excitement. 

When  Dr.  Lindsay  left  the  office  of  Dr.  Dumas 
he  walked  rapidly  back  to  his  own  office.  He  closely 
examined  the  charges  in  his  revolver,  and,  being  satis- 
fied with  it,  put  it  in  his  pocket. 

He  then  hurridly  ordered  his  carriage  and  drove 
rapidly  into  the  city.  He  ascended  a  narrow  stairway 
to  the  second  floor,  and  passing  down  a  long  hall  in- 
terspersed now  and  then  with  cross  halls,  he  finally 
rapped  on  a  door  upon  which  was  the  name  "Dr. 
Swindle."  A  rather  weak,  cracked,  high  voice  invited 
him  in.  Dr.  Lindsay  went  in,  introduced  himself  and 
took  a  seat,  saying: 

"This  is  Dr.  Swindle,  is  it?" 

"Yes,  sir;  that's  me,"  squeaked  out  the  little  voice 
under  the  big  nose. 

"This  is  also  the  place  where  a  Mr.  Snoots  stays, 
too.  isn't  it?" 

"Yes,  sir;  he  generally  stays  here  when  he  can 
h«  found." 

"You  and  he  conduct  a  species  of  business  to- 
gether, do  you  not?" 

"No,  sir;  I  am  in  no  way  connected  with  him  in 
business.  I  am  a  physician." 

"Does  he  not  run  this  establishment     here  with 


The  Operation  of  a  Strange  Law      61 

which  you  are  connected?"  Dr.  Lindsay  asked  with 
considerable  sternness. 

"He  keeps  a  boarding-  house  here;  I  simply  have 
my  office  here." 

"Ah,  you  seem  to  be  quite  sure  about  these  matters. 
Have  not  you  and  Snoots  an  engagement  to  perform 
some  of  your  joint  professional  business  tomorrow 
night  in  the  outskirts  of  the  city?"  asked  Dr.  Lindsay, 
with  his  blue  eyes  firmly  fixed  upon  the  two  little 
openings  on  each  side  of  the  upper  base  of  the  nose. 

"No — ah — what  do  you  mean?  If  what  you  say 
might  be  true,  what  business  of  yours  is  it  to  inter- 
fere with  anything  connected  with  my  business  t  I 
will  not  tolerate " 

Without  waiting  Dr.  Lindsay  reached  over  and 
mightily  grabbed  his  nose  in  the  grip  of  his  indignant 
hand,  saying: 

"You  treacherous  cur!  I  will  show  you  how  yon 
will  carry  on  your  nefarious  doings  under  my  eyes! 
Come  here  to-  this  glass  and  see.  Now  look  and  tell 
me  whether  you  have  yet  received  the  letter  which  you 
will  read  in  there?  Confess  yourself  a  scoundrel  and 
a  liar!" 

The  victim  looked  in  the  glass  and  read  the  letter. 
Then  turning  to  Dr.  Lindsay  he  said,  at  the  same  time 
rubbing  and  pacifying  his  great  red  and  now  swollen 
nose: 

"Mr.  Snoots  informed  me  of  the  reception  of  a 
letter  requesting  him  to  engage  my  services  to  per- 
form a  marriage  ceremony  tomorrow  evening,  and  I 
presume  you  have  there  a  copy  of  the  letter." 


62  Miss  Incognita 

"Then  you  are  a  self -convicted  imposter,  for  by 
what  right  or  authority  can  you  presume  to  officiate 
at  a  legal  marriage  service1?  and  does  not  this  letter 
say  it  is  to  be  a  bogus  license?" 

"You,  perhaps,  are  not  aware,  sir,  that  I  can 
perform  a  legal  marriage  service,  since  I  am  a  licensed 
minister  of  the  gawspel  ?" 

Dr.  Lindsay  felt  his  hand  start  again  toward 
Swindle's  nose,  but  he  restrained  it  with  an  effort, 
saying : 

"You  know,  sir,  you  are  falsifying  anew,  for  what 
church  could  be  so  debased  as  to  send  forth  such 
spawn  as  you  are  upon  the  world?" 

"Then  you  force  me  to  prove  to  you  my  assertion, 
sir,  which  I  can  do  instanter,  sir,  thanks  to  my  always- 
ready  record  of  good  standing  and  position  in  my 
church,  sir!" 

Then  he  began  unlocking  a  desk  and  searching  for 
something.  He  drew  out  of  his  desk  a  well-worn 
paper,  which  he  unfolded  and  then  held  up  before  the 
astoished  eyes  of  Dr.  Lindsay.  It  substantiated  the 
man's  claims  fully,  and  bore  date  some  years  pre- 
vious. 

While  Dr.  Lindsay  was  not  a  man  of  quick,  bright 
mind  he  was  yet  endowed  with  much  good  common 
sense.  This  man,  he  thought,  is  by  law  qualified 
to  perform  this  marriage,  and  make  it  binding,  if  a 
legal  license  is  procured.  Dumas  may  have  known, 
and  doubtless  did  know  of  it,  hence  his  caution  in  the 
letter  to  Snoots,  to  get  "bogus  license."  Why  could 
not  he  take  it  upon  himself  to  procure  a  real,  bonafide 


The  Operation  of  a  Strange  Law       63 

license,  and  force  this  wretch  to  perform  this  cere- 
mony, and  sign  and  properly  return  the  license  to 
the  court? 

He  determined  to  do  it,  and  turning  to  Swindle 
and  laying  his  hand  on  his  arm,  he  said : 

"So,  Swindle,  you  supposed  by  this  letter  that 
your  services  as  a  minister  were  required  to  perform  a 
true  marriage,  did  you?" 

"Now  answer  me  truly  and  I  will  pay  you.  Money 
is  what  you  are  after,  and  mine  is  as  good  as  Dumas'. 
So  now  answer  this  question  truly :  Does  Dumas 
know  that  you  have  this  license  of  ordination  from 
the  church?" 

"I  answer  for  truth — he  does  not." 

"And  you  promise  not  to  inform  him  of  it?" 

"No  sir." 

"And  you  will  be  on  hand  promptly  for  the  cere- 
mony?" 

"Yes,  sir,  if  you  will  keep  this  to  yourself  and 
say  nothing  to  Dumas  about  it  until  he  and  I  have 
settled  our  part  of  the  matter?" 

"All  right — and  here  is  an  additional  fee  for  you, 
to  boot,  and  not  a  word  to  Snoots,  either,  remember!" 

"Of  course,  sir;  but  you  must  look  out  for  the 
marriage  license.  If  Snoots  gets  them " 

"Oh,  I  will  attend  to  that  matter,  I  assure  you." 

Then  taking  the  well  used  license  of  ministerial 
ordination  from  Swindle's  hand  he  put  it  in  his  own 
pocket,  saying:  "I  may  need  this  in  the  future.  Not 
a  word  from  you,  Swindle,  or  I  will  expose  you. 
Remember,  your  safety  is  in  my  hands." 


64  Miss  Incognita 

And  with  that  he  turned  from  Swindle's  office  and 
drove  rapidly  home. 

It  was  the  hour  for  the  noonday  lunch  when  Dr. 
Lindsay  arrived  at  1001  Lincoln  Park  Square.  •  When 
he  went  to  his  lunch  he  noticed  Dr.  Dumas  and  Miss 
Eidola  sitting  at  their  usual  place,  and  engaged  in 
an  interested  conversation.  Dr.  Lindsay  caught  enough 
of  it  to  learn  that  they  were  discussing  the  impending 
marriage.  As  soon  as  Dr.  Lindsay  finished  his  lunch 
he  went  at  once  up  to  Dr.  Dumas'  office,  and,  sitting 
down,  lit  a  cigar  and  proceeded  to  smoke,  think  and 
wait  for  his  appearance.  Knowing  that  when  Dumas 
was  aroused  he  was  a  dangerous  man,  Dr.  Lindsay 
had  taken  the  precaution  to  keep  his  revolver  in  his 
pocket,  which  he  had  put  there  in  the  morning  before 
visiting  the  establishment  of  Snoots  and  Swindle. 

Dr.  Dumas  was  a  very  compactly-built,  agile, 
strong  man.  While  Dr.  Lindsay  would  not  pass  for 
as  much  of  an  athlete  as  Dumas,  yet  he  was  a  bull- 
dog, determined  sort  of  man,  who  had  been  thoroughly 
hardened  and  disciplined  by  three  years'  service  in 
the  war  between  the  States,  which  had  ended  three 
years  previous.  When  he  was  called  upon  as  a  mat- 
ter of  duty  to  fight  either  in  a  battle  with  muskets 
or  in  a  single  combat  with  muscles,  he  was  a  hard 
man  to  handle,  and  had  endurance  without  end.  He 
did  not  know  he  would  have  to  fight  Dumas,  and 
hoped  it  could  be  avoided,  yet  he  was  there  to  see 
him  on  a  very  delicate  matter,  and  he  feared  that 
with  a  man  of  Dumas'  sensitiveness  and  fiery  temper 
it  would  result  in  a  fight. 


The  Operation  of  a  Strange  Law       65 

He  had  not  smoked  his  cigar  more  than  half  up 
when  he  heard  Dr.  Dumas  coming  upstairs.  He 
quickly  cast  his  eye  over  the  room  to  take  in  its 
bearings  and  its  accoutrements,  so  that  he  might  not 
be  at  any  disadvantage.  There  was  nothing  in  the 
room  but  the  chairs,  the  tables,  the  book  cases,  the 
mirrors,  etc.,  composing  the  ordinary  furniture. 

Dr.  Dumas  soon  opened  the  door  of  the  labora- 
tory and  then  came  into  the  office. 

"Excuse,  me  Doctor,  for  trespassing,"  said  Dr. 
Lindsay,  "but  I  want  to  see  you  about  a  matter." 

"In  what  way  can  I  serve  you?"  Dumas  answered, 
sitting  down  and  lighting  a  cigar. 

"By  an  accident,  Doctor,  I  learned  of  your  im- 
pending marriage  to  Miss  Mandeville.  I  thought  it 
strange  yoa  had  kept  it  a  deep  secret  from  me." 

Dr.  Dumas  slightly  flushed,  and  jerked  his  chin 
to  and  fro  perceptibly.  He  had  determined,  of  all 
persons,  to  keep  this  secret  from  Dr.  Lindsay  until 
it  was  over.  So  he  replied  with  some  feeling: 

"I  guess  there  are  some  things  about  which  it  is 
not  necessary  for  a  man  to  consult  the  world,  the 
flesh  and  the  devil.  What  business  is  it  of  yours1? 
If  I  had  consulted  you,  then  it  would  have  been  some 
of  your  business;  but  since  I  saw  fit  to  ignore  you, 
why  do  you  meddle  in  it?" 

"Because,  by  the  same  accident  by  which  I  learned 
of  the  affair  at  all,  I  found  out  perhaps  too  much 
to  allow  the  carefully  planned  infamy  to  be  suc- 
cessfully carried  into  execution  against  Miss  Mande- 
ville." 


66  Miss  Incognita 

"What  do  you  mean,  Lindsay?  Are  you  insanely 
jealous  of  me  to  the  extent  that  you  are  losing  your 
mind?  I  don't  know  what  you  mean." 

"Then  allow  me  to  ask  you  if  you  know  the  firm 
of  'Snoots  and  Swindle,'  and " 

"To  which  insinuation  I  give  the  lie!  Do  you 
accept  them  for  your  authority?  If  they  have  said 
aught  to  you  I  deny  it.  Now  whom  do  you  believe  f 

"You,  sir!"  exclaimed  Dr.  Lindsay,  at  the  same 
time  drawing  out  the  self-same  piece  of  blotting 
paper  and  saying:  "In  proof  that  you  are  to  be 
believed,  look  yonder,"  and  he  pointed  in  the  mirror, 
holding  up  before  it  the  large  blotter.  As  he  pointed, 
Dumas'  eye  followed,  and  he  saw  the  full  copy  of 
the  letter  he  had  written  to  Snoots.  He  then  turned 
his  eyes  toward  Dr.  Lindsay,  and  saw  the  bluotter 
he  held  in  his  hand,  which  he  knew  would  forever 
condemn  him  in  the  eyes  of  his  fiance.  He  saw  that 
his  salvation,  the  fruition  of  all  his  passionate  hopes, 
the  full  enjoyment  of  her  rare  beauty,  which  he  had 
waited  for  and  cherished  so  long,  all  depended  upon 
liis  getting  possession  of  that  paner.  Mad  men's 
minds  act  quickly  under  intense  excitement.  With  an 
oath  he  made  a  Innere  for  the  blotting  paper,  at- 
tempting to  seize  it  and  rend  it  into  shreds,  but  Dr. 
Lindsay  jumped  to  one  side  and  threw  the  paper 
behind  him  in  the  corner  of  the  room,  at  the  same 
time  seizing  Dumas'  wrist  in  his  grasp,  and  planting 
nimself  so  as  to  defend  both  himself  and  the  paper. 
Dumas  wrenched  his  hands  loose  and  came  at  Lindsay 
•with  such  force  that  he  upset  the  table  in  the  center 


The  Operation  of  a  Strange  Law       67 

of  the  room.  Lindsay  defended  himself  adroitly,  be- 
ing assisted  by  the  wreck  of  the  table,  and,  in  addi- 
tion, landed  a  telling  blow  upon  Dr.  Dumas'  right 
eye,  which  almost  blinded  him.  But  the  latter  quick- 
ly recovered  and  struck  Lindsay  heavily  upon  the 
nose.  The  fight  by  this  time  was  not  only  full- 
fledged  but  the  noise  of  the  combat  whioh  was  taking 
place  directly  over  Miss  Mandeville's  parlor  aroused 
her.  It  flashed  into  her  mind  that  it  came  from  her 
lover's  room  above.  With  a  bound  she  darted  up  the 
stairs,  then  down  the  hall,  and  in  an  instant  burst 
into  Dumas'  room.  At  this  instant  he  was  standing 
at  one  end  of  the  room  and  Dr.  Lindsay  at  the  other 
next  the  paper  he  was  defending,  and  both  of  them 
had  just  drawn  their  revolvers  as  she  burst  in  upon 
them.  She  threw  herself  between  the  enraged  com- 
batants, screaming  wildly,  and  calling  upon  them  both 
for  her  sake  to  desist.  Both  men  dropped  their 
revolvers  into  their  pockets. 

"Gentlemen,  I  demand  to  know  what  this  is  all 
about.  You,  Dr.  Dumas,  are  my  engaged  lover,  and 
you,  Dr.  Lindsay,  are  my  friend — therefore,  I  have 
a  right  to  ask  you  both  what  all  this  may  mean?" 

The  interposition  of  Miss  Eidola  changed  the 
fight  into  a  game  in  which  Dumas  had  all  to  lose 
and  Lindsay  all  to  gain,  with  the  latter  holding  the 
trump  card. 

Dr.  Lindsay  had  stooped  down  and  picked  up 
his  tell-tale  pad  and  deposited  it  in  his  coat  pocket. 

Dr.  Dumas  was  the  first  to  speak. 

"My  dear,  as  I  seem  to  be  nearer  your  heart  than 


68  Miss  Incognita 

Dr.  Lindsay,  I  suppose  it  behooves  me  to  speak  first. 
As  we  were  rivals  for  y-.>ur  hand  and  neither  one  of 
us  could  make  up  his  mind  to  give  you  up  to  the 
other,  seeing  how  much  we  each  loved  you,  we  decided 
to  leave,  it  to  the  fate  of  combat." 

"But  had  I  not  already  decide  J  it?"  she  asked, 
advancing  to  Dr.  Dumas  and  taking  his  hand. 

"That  may  be  true,  Miss  Mandeville,"  interposed 
Dr.  Lindsay,  "but  we  men,  it  seems,  cannot  always 
force  ourselves  to  ^ivc  up  the  object  of  cur  love 
wiihout  a  struggle." 

Dumas'  tact  in  opening  the  explanation  as  he  had, 
not  only  saved  him,  but  complimented  the  young 
lady  very  highly.  For  what  higher  compliment  can 
be  paid  a  young  lady  than  to  tell  her  two  ardent 
lovers  are  ready  to  risk  their  lives  for  her  beauty  and 
love,  and  were  even  actually  in  the  combat? 

So  just  at  this  point  in  the  proceedings  Dr.  Lind- 
say said : 

"I  am  willing  to  leave  the  settlement  of  this  matter 
at  once,  here  and  now,  to  the  young  lady,  upon  one 
condition.  That  is  I  am  to  have  the  consolation  and 
the  honor  of  arranging  and  carrying  out  all  the 
terms  of  the  wedding."  As  he  said  this  he  looked  at 
Dnmas  in  a  way  that  meant,  "This  is  my  ultimatum." 

Miss  Eidola  answered  at  once :  "Why,  Doctor, 
I  never  dreamed  of  any  one  else  acting  in  this  ca- 
pacity but  you!  Of  course  it  is  perfectly  agreeable. 
Isn't  it,  Dr.  Dumas'?" 

"Why,  yes,  my  dear!  Anything  is  agreeable 
when  it  is  according  to  your  wishes.  I  am  delighted 


The  Operation  of  a  Strange  Law       69 

to  know  that  Dr.  Lindsay  will  act  for  me.  I  really 
had  intended  to  put  this  pleasant  duty  on  his  shoulders 
anyway,  if  acceptable  to  him." 

"The  combatants  now  shook  hands  at  the  request 
of  Miss  Eidola,  pledging  their  friendship  to  each 
other,  Dr.  Lindsay  at  the  same  time  remarking:  "Ex- 
cuse us  a  moment,  Miss  Eidola.  Dr.  Dumas,  please 
step  this  way." 

They  went  into  an  adjoining  room  and  Dr.  Lind- 
say handed  Dr.  Dumas  a  note,  requesting  him  to 
sign  it,  which  read  as  follows: 

"MESSRS.  SNOOTS  AND  SWINDLE:  This  is  to  in- 
form you  that  the  matter  of  the  arrangements  for 
my  wedding  is  in  charge  of  Dr.  Lindsay.  He  will 
procure  my  marriage  license  and  do  whatever  else 
may  be  necessary.  Either  of  you  will  please  do  as 
he  requests  you." 

After  signing  this,  Dr.  Dumas  asked: 

"Whom  will  you  get  to  perform  the  ceremony?" 

"Oh,  Dr.  Swindle,  I  suppose,  as  he  seems  to  be 
your  choice.  He  is  qualified  to  officiate,  is  he  not?" 

"Oh,  yes,"  replied  Dr.  Dumas  eagerly,  "and  I 
return  you  this  paper  I  have  signed  with  the  distinct 
understanding  that  Tie  is  to  officiate." 

"Certainly,"   answered   Dr.   Lindsay. 

As  Dr.  Lindsay  left  the  room  Dr.  Dumas  clapped 
his  hands,  laughing  heartily  and  saying  to  himself: 

"Aha!  I  have  trapped  the  infernal  old  fox  any- 
how, for  what  would  a  marriage  ceremony  be  worth-, 
performed  by  Swindle?" 


70  Miss  Incognita 

For  Swindle  had  told  the  truth  one  time,  when  he 
informed  Dr.  Lindsay  that  Dumas  knew  nothing  of 
his  ministerial  office. 

The  next  evening  the  wedding  took  .place  in 
Mrs.  Mandeville's  private  parlor.  She  witnessed  the 
ceremony  from  her  bed  in  her  room,  the  large  doors 
separating  the  parlor  from  her  bedroom  being  rolled 
back. 

It  was  a  sad  occasion  in  more  than  one  respect. 
The  only  comical  thing  connected  with  it  all  was  that 
"Dr.  Swindle"  seemed  to  be  in  a  perpetual  state  of 
fear  and  uneasiness,  that  Dr.  Dumas'  eye  was  swollen 
to  the  size  of  an  egg,  and  was  of  a  deep  blue-black 
color,  while  Dr.  Lindsay's  turned-up  nose  was  about 
twice  its  usual  size,  and  was  tir>ted  many  shades  red- 
der than  its  natural  red  color. 

The  next  day  after  the  wedding  Dr.  Lindsay 
moved  from  this  suburb,  and  took  rooms  and  an  office 
in  a  more  central  and  populous  section  of  the  city, 
leaving  Dr.  Dumas  happier  and  more  jubilant  that 
he  had  ever  known  him  in  his  life.  He  took  pains, 
however,  to  leave  his  address  with  the  beautiful  and 
happy  bride. 


Another  Mystery 


CHAPTER  VII. 

ANOTHER    MYSTERY. 

PREPARATORY  to  his  marriage  Dr.  Dumas  had  fur- 
nished a  suite  of  rooms  for  his  bride  adjoining  those 
of  Mrs.  Mandeville's,  so  that  the  daughter  could  be 
as  near  the  mother  as  possible,  to  show  her  every 
needed  attention.  They  did  not  go  on  a  bridal  trip, 
because  the  state  of  the  mother's  health  rendered 
such  a  pleasure  impossible.  It  was  largely  at  her 
request  that  the  marriage  was  so  quickly  consum- 
mated. She  feared  her  sudden  taking  off,  and  it 
had  been  the  prayer  of  her  heart  to  see  her  daughter 
happily  married  before  her  death. 

Dr.  Dumas  and  his  wife  gave  her  every  attention. 
His  care  and  forethought  convinced  Mrs.  Mandeville 
more  thoroughly  than  ever  that  her  daughter  would 
be  left  in  the  keeping  of  a  good  man. 

She  had  not  observed  closely  enough  to  know 
that  the  first  taste  of  love  in  that  dewy  morn  of 
wedded  life  called  the  "honeymoon"  makes  all-  men- 
tender  and,  for  the  time  being,  true  and  loving. 

If  Satan  himself  could  feast  upon  the  first  fruits 
of  love  joyously  and  passionately  given  by  amorous 
beauty  he  would  grow  as  tender  as  a  young  girT, 
and,  while  the  freshness  of  this  joy  lasted,  he  would 
give  hell  a  surcease  from  sorrow  and  endow  it  with 
foretastes  of  the  delights  of  heaven, 


72  Miss  Incognita 

So  Dr.  Dumas  was  very  tender,  and  Mrs.  Mande- 
ville  was  content,  and  the  young  bride  as  happy  as 
possible. 

Mrs.  Dumas'  rapturous  passion  for  her  husband 
knew  no  bounds. 

It  was  the  young1  wife's  first  love,  fresh  and  pure, 
and  gave  her  untold  joy.  She  had  often  dreamed 
of  love,  and,  when  she  awoke,  blushed  at  the  re- 
membrance of  her  dream;  but  to  be  in  love  and  have 
love,  and  experience  its  very  joys,  and  so  be  in  heaven 
and  enjoy  heaven,  she  could  scarcely  believe  tkat 
the  reality  was  hers  and  that  her  mother's  cwasting 
away  seemed  to  hallow  her  pure  love,  and  make  it 
take  deeper  possession  of  her  heart,  in  order  to  al- 
leviate, if  not  drive  out,  her  grief  therefrom. 

One  day  in  the  latter  part  of  October  Dr.  Dumas 
came  into  the  invalid's  room.  The  mother  was  pos- 
sessed by  a  deep,  exhausting,  comatose  sleep.  The 
daughter  was  sitting  near  her  resting  her  tearful  face 
in  her  hand. 

Her  bosom  rose  and  fell  at  regular  intervals,  now 
and  then  releasing  an  impassioned  sob.  At  intervals 
she  walked  with  a  fairy-like  tread  to  her  mother's 
bed,  and,  moistening  her  lips  with  wine,  kissed  her 
thin,  angelic  face  so  longingly  and  caerssingly.  The 
sick  mother  would  open  her  great,  bright,  ethereal 
eyes,  that  seemed  to  be  imprisoned  spirits,  and  look 
tenderly  into  her  daughter's  face,  conveying  to  her 
mighty,  unspoken  thrills  of  love.  Then  in  her  low, 
fine,  broken  voice  she  would  say ;  "So — I — am — still — 


Another  Mystery  73 

with— you — my — daughter?  I  must — have — been — 
dreaming — but — but — it  was — all  so  real.  I  was  with 
my  beloved  husband  in  a  most  beautiful  realm." 

"Stop,  mother  dear.  You  had  better  not  talk  too 
much.  You  are  so  weak." 

At  this  point  Dr.  Dumas  came  to  the  bed,  for,  the 
dying  woman  seeing  him  in  the  room,  had  feebly  mo- 
tioned him  to  approach. 

He  sat  in  a  chair  and  took  his  bride  upon  his 
knee. 

"It  is  better  that  I  should  not  cease  talking  now, 
my  children,  for  it  may  be  my  last  opportunity. 
The  wine  has  strengthened  me.  It  does  me  good  to 
witness  your  affection  for  each  other,  and  comforts 
me  so  much  in  taking  my  departure  from  this  world. 
I  know  you  will  be  true  to  my  baby  girl,  will  you 
not,  my — my — son?"  And  the  sufferer  fixed  the 
glance  of  her  soul-like  eyes  upon  the  face  of  Dr. 
Dumas. 

"As  true  and  faithful  as  love  could  be  to  love, 
mother  dear,"  answered  Dr.  Dumas,  as  he  covered 
the  tearful  face  of  his  bride  with  kisses. 

"And  you,  my  daughter,  will  be  happy  with 
him?" 

"My  sweet  mother,  were  you  happy  with  papa? 
Then  you  can  measure  my  happiness  by  yours. 
There  is  only  one  thing  lacking  with  me  now — if 
you — if  you — my  sweet  mother,  could  be  always  with 
me!"  She  wept  violently  upon  her  husband's  neck, 
as  he  drew  her  closer  to  him,  thinking  to  himself: 
"Even  her  grief  is  sweet  to  me,  for  she  is  so  beauti- 


74  Miss  Incognita 

ful  in  it;  and  I  love  all  forms  and  types  of  beauty." 
Then  he  kissed  her  violently  upon  her  weeping  eyes, 
first  on  the  one  and  then  on  the  other,  and  they 
were  such  ravenous  kisses  that  the  dying  woman 
looked  at  him  and  said :  "I  trust  you  may  love  her 
as  dearly  in  all  her  griefs."  Could  she  have  read 
his  heart  and  properly  construed  the  soul  of  his  out- 
ward love  she  would  have  gotten  well!  She  was  a 
woman  whom  sacred  duties  to  her  loved  one  would 
have  kept  alive,  even  in  the  teeth  of  death's  com- 
mand! She  continued: 

"You  know,  my  daughter,  we  never  found  your 
father's  body.  He  sleeps  in  some  unknown  gave 
upon  the  battlefield.  So  it  matters  not  where  you 
place  my  poor  body.  If  his  should  ever  be  discov- 
ered, then  place  our  ashes  side  by  side.  He  is  often 
with  me  here.  I  feel  his  presence  and  he  com- 
munes with  me,  oh !  so  sweetly,  and  whispers  to  me 
of  the  precious  days  of  long  ago  and  of  the  sweeter 
ones  soon  to  be !  Often  when  my  soul  has  been 
released  by  the  dissolving  power  of  sleep  and  the 
weird  alchemy  of  dreams,  and  it  goes  forth  seeking 
my  departed  love,  I  find  that  he  always  meets  me 
on  the  very  threshold  of  my  departure  and  blesses 
me  with  a  love  purer  and  higher  than  any  that  could 
dwell  on  earth.  I  know  these  occasions  have  been 
but  an  earnest  of  what  awaits  me,  and  that  when  my 
real  sleep  comes  (which  is  now  so  impatiently  wooed 
by  me)  and  I  go  hence  clothed  not  in  dreams,  but 
in  my  immortality,  he  will  meet  me  then  as  before  even 
on  the  threshold  of  my  departure,  and  my  love  and  I 


Another  Mystery  75 

will  go  forth  together  in  love's  beautiful  realrn^ 
never  again  to  be  sundered  the  one  from  the  other!" 

At  this  point  the  dying  mother  closed  her  eyes, 
but  continued  talking,  not  to  those  in  the  room,  but 
to  her  love  on  the  other  shore  whom  she  now  ad- 
dressed as  if  present  with  her: 

"My  own  Harry!  My  love  of  long  .ago  with  me! 
You  will  never  leave  me  again,  sweet  love,  never 
again,  during  all  these  sweet  days  ?  Nay !  Nay ! 
Then  how  happy;  we  will  be  young  lovers  again, 
and  as  we  were  in  those  blessed  days,  when  love 
was  young  and  all  the  world  was  gay  springtime  "I 
You  say  our  love  will  be  sweeter  than  that,  and 
that  realm  will  be  brighter  than  this  world  even  in 
its  gay  springtime?  Then  take  me  now,  even  now 
in  your  arms.  You  say  that  even  the  music  'will 
be  a  lullaby  of  love,  and  that  the  fountains  and 
murmuring  brooks  and  the  zephyrs'  soft  notes  will 
all  sing  to  us  the  songs  of  love  and  that  our  love 
there  will  be  without  sorrow  and  care?  Then  take 
me  in  your  arms,  Harry  dear!  You  are  not  going  to 
leave  me?  I  am  ready  to  go  with  you!  Lo,  I  have 
been  waiting  these  many  years  to  go  to  you !  I 
will  wait  no  longer!  Harry!  I  come!  I  come!" 

And  as  the  dying  woman  uttered  these  words 
she  raised  her  emaciated  body  up  in  bed,  and 
reached  out  her  white  transparent  hands  as  if  to  some 
invisible-  presence.  She  remained  thus  an  instant, 
and  then  fell  back  upon  her  pillow — dead! 

For  some  weeks  after  her  mother's  death  Mrs. 
Dumas  never  left  the  house,  but  remained  within 


76  Miss  Incognita 

her  husband's  company,  or  with  some  of  the  guests 
of  the  house,  who  were,  and  had  been,  very  kind 
to  her. 

To  occupy  her  mind,  she  applied  herself  with 
renewed  zeal  to  her  studies.  Her  progress  from 
the  beginning  had  been  remarkable,  and  what  she 
had  already  learned  enabled  her  to  advance  each  day 
much  more  rapidly  than  before. 

During  these  sad  days  Dr.  Dumas  seemed  to  en- 
joy her  with  all  his  amorous  soul.  Afterwards  when 
she  looked  back  upon  it,  it  was  hard  for  her  to 
understand  it,  but  he  understood  the  cause  of  his 
pleasure  perfectly.  His  animalish  nature  was  enjoy- 
ing her  beauty  in  all  of  its  phases,  and  now  was 
experiencing  a  new  sensation  of  it,  to-wit,  beauty 
sad  and  pensive,  beauty  in  the  embrace  of  melan- 
choly, beauty  bedecked  in  the  somber  shrades  of 
mourning.  He  would  sit  almost  for  hours  and  gaze 
upon  his  wife;  or  embrace  her  as  she  wept;  and 
the  depths  of  his  dark,  mysterious  nature  would  be 
strangely  stirred. 

When  her  face  would  be  all  bedewed  with  tears, 
and  her  lips  hot  with  grief,  he  would  look  upon  her, 
and  his  strange  chin  would  twitch,  and  then  he 
would  kiss  her  many  times,  at  the  same  time  em- 
bracing her  trembling  form  with  almost  savage 
strength  and  joy. 

After  the  loss  of  her  mother,  Mrs.  Dumas  gave 
her  love  more  unstintedly  than  ever  to  her  husband. 

Here,  he  thought,  was  just  such  love  as  his 
insatiable  nature  had  always  craved. 


Another  Mystery  77 

Dr.  Dumas  not  only  gave  up  all  effort  to  carry 
on  his  profession  or  advance  himself  in  it,  but  he 
did  all  in  his  power  to  dissuade  his  wife  from  prose- 
cuting her  studies.  He  seemed  jealous  of  her  books 
and  the  time  she  gave  them. 

When  it  came  to  administering  to  her  pleasures 
and  desires  he  was  lavish  in  the  expenditure  of 
money.  He  seemed  always  to  have  an  abundance 
of  money,  yet  it  was  evident  to  his  observing  wife 
that  he  did  not  make  it.  She  was  well  aware  that 
since  his  marriage  he  had  really  abandoned  profes- 
sional work,  and  had  given  himself  up  to  the  enjoy- 
ment of  herself.  She  remembered  that  he  had  never 
given  her  any  information  of  any  property  he  owned, 
or  of  any  source  of  income.  In  the  intoxicating  bliss 
of  her  young  love  and  passion,  she  had  never  taken 
the  pains  to  inquire  concerning  his  family  or  ante- 
cedents. She  wondered  about  his  father  and 
mother  and  if  she  would  meet  them  and  love  them. 

She  waited  for  him  to  mention  this 'subject  and 
wondered  why  he  did  not. 

It  never  entered  her  mind  for  one  instant  to 
doubt  his  love  and  fealty  to  her,  no  more  than  it  had 
occurred  to  her  to  doubt  her  devotion  to  him. 

Oh,  how  sweet  and  divine  is  the  trust  of  a  loving 
woman,  who  has  once  wholly  given  her  heart  into  the 
keeping  of  her  lover,  and  how  damnable  is  he  who 
betrays  her! 

During  the  winter  months  of  1868-1869,  following 
her  mother's  death,  she  kept  her  mind  and  heart 
and  time  fully  occupied. 


78  Miss  Incognita 

Notwithstanding  she  was  married,  she  was  un- 
remitting in  her  studies.  Her  husband,  when  he 
found  that  he  could  not  dissuade  her  from  it,  took 
great  pains  in  teaching  and  directing  her  in  various 
chemical  experiments. 

He  decided  to  let  her  study  as  much  as  she 
pleased,  just  so  he  could  be  with  her,  and  feast  his 
eyes  upon  her  beauty.  Besides,  what  a  delightful 
phase  of  passion  it  was  for  him  to  have  the  implicit 
love  of  his  "pupil !" — to  exchange*  her  chemistry  for 
kisses,  to  exchange  with  her  the  anatomy  of  the 
books  for  the  anatomy  of  her  own  delicate  person, 
with  all  its  springtime  dewy  fragrance  and  its 
Hogarth's  curves  and  lines  of  beauty. 

The  wife-pupil's  studies  were  often  carried  on 
in  the  laboratory,  and  all  these  things  kept  fresh  in 
Dr.  Dumas'  mind  the  joyous  scene  of  her  first  love, 
given  and  enjoyed  under  the  miraculous  influence 
of  the  "Vibratoner."  She  spent  some  time  making 
a  series  of.  experiments,  testing  certain  "Medico- 
Chemical  Compounds,"  as  she  called  them,  which  she 
had  formulated,  and  which  she  claimed  would  be  a 
healing  blessing  to  mankind  and  a  valuable  addition 
to  the  stores  of  Materia  Medica. 


One  morning  the  husband  and  wife  were  in  the 
laboratory  making  some  experiments.  Eidola  said : 

"My  dear  husband,  I  have  often  wished  to  ask 
you  some  questions  about  the  time  when  you  made 
your  experiment  on  me  with  these  vibratoners, 
while  we  sat  on  this  same  lounge." 


Another  Mystery  79 

"All  right,  sweetheart,  go  ahead;  what  is  it  you 
want  to  know?" 

"Well,  in  the  first  place,  I  want  you  to  explain 
to  me  the  composition  of  that  fluid  used  in  the  retorts 
of  the  vibratoners." 

"I  will  analyze  it  for  you.     Come  with  me." 

Then  both  went  to  the  apparatus  used  for  making 
analysis  of  various  substances,  and  in  a  few  minutes 
he  made  it  plain  to  her.  Then  walking  back  to  the 
lounge,  and  sitting  down,  Eidola  looked  her  husband 
in  the  eye  and  said : 

"But  I  don't  see,  Henry,  "how  this  substance 
caused  that  strange  influence  to  come  over  me.  It 
was  so  funny  and  weird.  While  I  was  under  that 
influence  I  seemed  to  be  having  beautiful  dreams, 
but  when  I  awoke  I  could  not  recall  any  dream  I 
had  had.  I  only  realized  that  I  had  been  having 
wonderful  dreams.  And  after  I  was  awake,  what 
made  me  love  you  so?  Oh,  how  I  did  love  you, 
how  I  do  love  you !" 

"My  dearest,  you  ask  me  more  questions  than  I 
can  answer.  I  tried  to  explain  to  you  how  the  effects 
you  experienced  were  caused  by  vibrations  set  up 
by  the  vibratoners." 

"If  what  you  say  be  true,  why  did  I  not  remember 
all  those  things  that  took  place  when  I  came  to  my- 
self. I  remembered  nothing,  except  I  felt  and  knew 
I  loved  you,  and  loved  only  you." 

"Dear  Eidola,  you  ask  me  things  which  I  do  not 
know.  In  that  state  in  which  I  placed  you  are 
many,  many  secrets  I  do  not  know." 


80  Miss  Incognita 

"But  Henry,  if  vibrations  were  the  only  cause 
of  my  strange  condition,  why  did  you  speak  those 
strange  words  to  me  just  before  I  lost  conscious- 
ness, and  make  those  weird  movements  about  me, 
and  look  so  fiercely  into  my  eyes?  Those  things  have 
haunted  me  day  by  day.  I  noticed  that  I  did  not 
lose  my  senses  until  you  did  those  things,  but  I 
could  not  resist." 

"Why,  Eidola,"  answered  he,  somewhat  startled, 
"you  must  have  imagined  those  tilings.  I  tell  you  it 
was  the  vibratoners.  You  know  you  were  so  beau- 
tiful that  morning  I  could  not  help  looking  into 
your  eyes,  nor  speaking  into  your  ears,  nor  making 
movements,  as  you  term  it,  about  your  angelic  per- 
son, nor — 

"Wait,  Henry,  tell  me  one  thing.  Did  I  do  any- 
thing— any — wrong — that  morning  while  I  was — ah 
— was  in  those  beautiful  dreams.  I  loved  you  so ! 

I  fear .  I  was  like  a  drowning  man,  and  felt 

that  I  must  get  out  of  that  sea  or  be  lost !  I  be- 
came convulsed!  I  struggled  to  awake!  My  senses 
began  to  come  back  to  me — I  cried  out — you  know 
the  rest — and  then  Dr.  Lindsay  came  in.  Oh, 
Henry,  what  caused  me  to  have  such  an  experience 
as  this?" 

"My  darling,  it  was  but  your  awakening  from 
the  strange  influence  of  the  vibratoners."  And  as 
he  said  this,  he  cast  down  his  eyes  and  did  not  look 
into  hers. 

"But,  Henry,  tell  me,  did  my  overwrought  feel- 
ings cause  me  to  do  any  wrong?" 


Another  Mystery  81 

"No,  sweet  one.  You,  like  the  king,  can  do  no 
wrong." 

"I  am  so  glad  to  hear  you  say  this.  I  have  been 
fearful  a  long  time  I  had  done  some  wrong,  but 
hesitated  through  fear  to  ask  you.  But  how  I  do 
love  you!  and  how  happy  I  am!  I  shall  never  get 
under  the  influence  of  those  vibratoners  again,  how- 
ever." 

"Why  not,  Eidola?" 

"Because  I  love  you  so,  I  am  afraid  you  might 
grow,  tired  of  my  love,  and  so  cause  me  not  to  love 
you.  For  if  you  could  thus  beget  such  love,  you 
could  also  destory  it,  and  it  is  too  precious  for  me 
to  take  the  risk." 

"Ha !  ha  !  Eidola,  how  you  do  amuse  and  astonish 
me!  The  idea  of  such  an  absurd,  horrible,  prepos- 
terous thing!  I  destroy  your  love!  Ha!  ha!  ha!" 
and  the  husband  continued  to  laugh  for  some  min- 
utes." 

"Oh,  Henry,  I  don't  say  you  would  do  such  a 
thing,  but  you  could  do  it,  and  I  don't  propose  to  give 
you  the  chance.  You  might  fall  in  love  with  some 
other  woman  some  time." 

"Tut,  tut,  sweetheart,  you  are  getting  jealous 
now.  If  you  refuse  to  go  under  the  influence  of 
the  vibratoners  you  will  deny  us  many  beautiful  and 
instructive  experiments." 

"True,  Henry  dear,  but  I  cannot.  I  feel  that 
way  about  it.  You  know  the  saying  about  a 
'woman's  intuitions.'  But  tell  me,  why  did  I  utter 
those  strange  words  to  Dr.  Lindsay  and  my  mother? 


82  Miss  Incognita 

I  remember  that  when  be  and  my  mother  and  I 
met,  I  began  at  once  to  feel  funny,  and  felt  ir- 
resistably  constrained  to  do  something.  Then  I 
seemed  to  go  into  a  dreamlike  state,  and  I  knew 
nothing  more  until  I  awoke  and  found  myself  stand- 
ing in  the  room,  and  Dr.  Lindsay  had  his  head  rest- 
ing in  his  hand  and  seemed  to  be  weeping,  and  my 
dear,  sweet  mother  was  weeping,  too,  for  she  seemed 
to  sympathize  with  Dr.  Lindsay,  and  then  I  fled 
from  the  room,  not  knowing  what  I  had  done.  Tell 
me,  why  was  all  this?  What  made  me  do  it?" 

"Ah,  Eidola,  another  of  nature's  secrets.  The 
real,  hidden  cause  of  your  doing  it,  I  know  not. 
I  found  out  in  the  course  of  my  experiments  with 
subjects  under  the  influence  of  the  vibratoners,  that 
if,  while  they  were  asleep  and  unconscious,  I  gave 
them  a  command,  to  be  performed  at  some  future 
time,  they  would  do  it,  though  when  awakened  they 
remembered  nothing  I  had  said  to  them.  However, 
when  the  time  and  occasion  came,  as  in  your  case, 
they  did  what  I  commanded."  (This  is  what  psy- 
chologists know  now  as  "Post-Hypnotic  Suggestion," 
and  is  a  common,  true,  though  wonderful  phenome- 
non.) "So  Eidola,  while  you  were  under  the  in- 
fluence, I  thought  it  best  to  have  you  settle  matters 
with  your  mother  and  Dr.  Lindsay.  I  knew  it 
would  be  easier  for  you  this  way  than  any  other,  and 
I  was  so  anxious  to  possess  you,  I  could  not  resist 
doing  it." 

"And  that  is  what  made  me  do  it?  How  won- 
derful!" 


Another  Mystery  83 

Then  turning  to  her  hlusband  she  said  very  earn- 
estly and  solemnly : 

"No,  I  shall  never  again  go  under  the  influence 
of  the  vibratoners !" 

"But  dearest,  let  me  tell  you  another  wonderful 
fact.  If  you  should  again  submit  yourself,  you  will, 
while  in  that  state,  recall  and  know  all  that  took  place 
in  the  former  experiment,  and  I  will  tell  you  to  re- 
member it  all  when  you  awake,  and  you  will  do  so!" 

"Ah,  my  husband,  don't  so  tempt  me.  How  can 
this  be  true?" 

"I  know  not,  Eidola,  unless  we  have  two  memories 
and  two  selves.  It  would  help  you  to  get  an  insight 
into  this  most  wonderful  science." 

"But,  Henry,"  she  asked,  looking  him  in  the  eye, 
"what  a  power  for  evil  this  science,  as  you  term  it, 
would  be  in  the  hands  of  an  evil  man!  It  makes 
me  shudder  to  think  of  it!" 

"Not  so  much  as  you  might  imagine,  my  dearest," 
he  replied,  looking  at  her  with  furtive  glances.  "In 
that  condition  you  cannot  cause  one  to  do  what  is 
contrary  to  one's  moral  principle.  That  I  have  re- 
cently discovered.  In  your  case,  for  instance,  my 
dear,  I  saw  this  law  beautifully  illustrated,  and n 

"Then,  Henry,  you  tried  to  have  me  do  evil, 
did  you?"  she  asked  as  quick  as  a  flash. 

He  was  woefully  disconcerted  for  a  moment  and 
showed  it  plainly  in  his  face,  but  he  replied  with  as 
little  show  of  excitement  as  possible : 

"Ah,  Eidola,  you  must  remember  it  was  simply 
for  the  sake  of  the  experiment." 


84  Miss  Incognita 

"So,  I  see — but  I  shall  not  submit  to  th«  ex- 
periment again.  You  might,  for  the  sake  of  the 
experiment,  cause  me  to  yield  to  wrong-doing  some 
time.  I  think  I  know  what  your  experiment  was  be- 
fore. My  resistance  to  it  was  what  caused  me  to  be- 
come so  convulsed  and  to  awaken.  But,  suppose? 
Henry,  you  had  made  me  believe  it  was  not  wrong 
to  do  what  you  wished;  as,  for  instance,  suppose  you 
had  made  me  believe  I  was  already  your  wife,  which 
you  could  .easily  have  done  under  that  influence. 
What  do  you  think  I  would  have  done  then?  Do 
you  think  I  would  then  have  resisted  your  passion? 
Have  I  resisted  it  since  becoming  your  wife?" 

This  speech  had  a  strange  effect  on  him.  When 
she  uttered  the  word  "wife"  he  showed  considerable 
agitation.  He  did  not  reply  quickly  and  when  he 
did  all  he  said  was: 

"Ah,  Eidola,  you  give  me  some  excellent  hints." 

This  closed  the  conversation,  and  it  caused  Eidola 
to  have  strange  thoughts  and  feelings. 


Forewarnings  85 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

/ 

FOREWARNINGS 

DURING  Hie  spring  Mrs.  Dumas'  health  was  very 
much  unpaired,  caused  by  an  injury  from  a  severe 
fall.  All  the  succeeding  summer  she  was  confined  to 
her  room.  Worse  than  this  the  injury  developed 
into  organic  disease  and  threatened  permanent  dis- 
order of  her  organic  functions.  Sad  to  relate,  the 
gloomy  life  of  an  invalid  and  sufferer  threatened  to 
be  her  fate.  A  destiny  had  befallen  her  which  had 
overtaken  and  wrecked  thousands  of  women  before. 

She  knew  enough  of  anatomy  and  pathology  and 
the  diagnosis  of  disease  to  confirm  the  condition  in 
her  own  mind.  In  addition  to  her  own  forebodings 
as  to  her  future  condition,  her  husband  now  and  then 
gave  cruel  and  prophetic  utterance  to  his  suspicions. 
She  knew  that  up  to  this  time  the  science  of  medicine 
had  been  impotent  to  cure  her  trouble.  She  did  not 
know  of  the  then  rising  star  of  Dr.  J.  Marion  Sims, 
of  Alabama,  but  at  that  time  of  New  York,  and  of 
his  wonderful  discoveries  and  his  almost  miraculous 
cures  of  the  hitherto  fatal  troubles  of  women.  But 
there  was  one  man  and  physician  in  the  city  of 
Chicago  who  knew  of  these  things,  as  the  sequel 
will  show. 

Mrs.  Dumas  had  been  ill  but  a  few  months  when 
she  noticed  the  gradual  loss  of  her  frail  style  of 
physical  beauty.  Before  two  months  had  elapsed, 


86  Miss  Incognita 

her  husband  began  to  show  a  marked  disinclination 
lo  spend  his  time  with  her.  He  pretended  to  mani- 
fest a  renewed  interest  in  his  profession  and  practice. 
He  soon  began  to  spend  many  of  his  evenings,  and 
then  the  nights,  away  from  her,  so  that  she  often 
felt  an  overpowering,  irresistable  loneliness.  In  ad- 
dition to  his  general  neglect  of  his  wife,  Dr.  Dumas, 
for  some  mysterious  cause  which  she  could  not  di- 
vine, had  gradually  assumed  an  air  of  hauteur  and 
lofty  dignity  towards  her. 

Upon  a  day  early  in  August  a  letter  came  ad- 
dressed to  "Dr.  Henry  Dumas,"  postmarked  "London, 
England,"  the  contents  of  which  were  as  follows: 

"LONDON,  Sunday,  Aug.  5th. 

"Eroslove  Mansion. 

"LORD  EROSLOVE — MY  ONE-TIME  BROTHER  HENRY  : 
You  will  doubtless'be  startled  (I  will  not  say  shocked) 
when  you  read  this  letter.  You  are  astonished  to  see 
yourself  addressed  addressed  as  'Lord  "Eroslove/ 
True,  at  the  time  I  write  this  letter,  this  title  is  still 
mine,  but  when  you  receive  it,  it  will  be  yours,  for — 
I  will  then  be  dead  and  you  will  be  the  only  living 
heir  of  the  Eroslove  house.  The  cursed  malady  which 
I  inherited  from  my  father  (for  we  inherit  other 
things  besides  wealth  and  titles)  has  cut  short  my 
course.  I  thank  death  for  hastening  my  relief.  I 
know  you  will  not  appreciate  the  honor  and  responsi- 
bilities the  peerage  places  upon  you,  but  will  care 
only  for  its  position  and  prestige,  which  will  enable 
you  the  more  to  enjoy  your  rash  and  lascivious  life. 


Forewarnings  87 

It  was  indeed  cold  and  cruel  in  you  some  years  ago 
to  leave  us  as  you  did,  in  your  desperation  and 
spite,  because  of  my  precedence  of  you  on  account 
of  the  law  of  primogeniture.  Your  cruel  course 
has  saddened  my  suffering  years,  and  in  this  respect 
you  may  have  accomplished  a  part  of  your  purpose. 

"Now  in  conclusion  a  word  of  advice  and  warn- 
ing to  you : 

"Our  estates,  which  are  large,  have  come  to  us 
through  two  sources:  First,  from  the  Crown  which 
was  settled  upon  our  great-grandfather.  This  con- 
sists of  mansions  and  lands  which  are  expensive  to 
keep,  and  not  very  productive  of  income.  And,  sec- 
ond, the  personal  estate,  consisting  of  stock  in  th« 
Bank  of  England  and  other  institutions,  and  of  intei- 
est-bearing  bonds,  which  were  entailed  by  our  grand- 
father. Under  the  terms  of  the  settlement  of  this 
latter  estate,  the  Hanover  Trust  Company  is  made 
trustee,  and  it  is  provided  that,  should  the  Eroslove 
line  fail  of  issue,  or  should  its  male  representative 
be  convicted  of  a  crime  amounting  to  a  felony,  the 
corpus  and  income  of  this  large  estate  shall  go  to  our 
hated  cousin  and  enemy,  the  Earl  of  Littlefield,  and 
his  heirs.  As  you  already  know,  the  Earl  is  our 
bitterest  and  most  malignant  foe,  who  lets  no  op- 
portunity slip  him  to  injure  us.  He  knows  of  my 
approaching  death,  and  would  not  hesitate  to  take 
steps  to  put  you  out  of  the  way,  knowing  that  your 
life,  or  your  honor,  are  the  only  things  between  him 
and  that  vast  wealth  which  he  so  much  needs  and 
craves.  He  is  even  now  boasting  that  you  will  not 


88  Miss  Incognita 

return  to  England  because  of  some  of  your  escapades 
here  in  the  past. 

"**ow  let  me  advise  you  to  come  at  once  to  Eng- 
land and  marry  some  woman  whose  position  will 
honor  yours,  and  have  a  family.  You  should  not 
defer  this  important  step.  You  want  an  heir  at  once. 
Let  another  life  than  yours  stand  up  to  confront 
the  Earl  of  Littlefield.  I  consider  this  imperative 
for  the  safety  and  perpetuation  of  our  house. 

"i5y-the-bye,  are  you  still  keeping  up  your  amour 
with  that  beautiful  Southern  girl  you  once  wrote 
me  about.  If  so,  abandon  this  wicked  liaison  at 
once,  and  come  home.  I  will  not  linger  in  saying 
farewell  to  you,  but  will  bid  you  a  last  good-bye. 

"Your   dying   brother,  RAVANEL." 

The  reading  of  this  letter  brought  no  remorse  to 
the  soul  of  Dr.  Dumas,  or,  if  it  did,  he  did  not 
exhibit  it;  but  it  made  a  wonderful  impression  on 
him.  He  sat  down  by  his  table  in  his  private  office 
and,  taking  paper,  pen  and  ink,  he  wrote  a  number 
of  times  in  letters  of  all  sizes  and  shapes  the  name, 
"Lord  Eroslove."  He  looked  at  it  from  all  points 
of  view  and  then  said  to  himself: 

"By  the  eternal!  I  like  the  looks  of  it  better 
than  I  ever  imagined."  Then  after  a  bit  he  muttered 
to  himself:  "Well,  good-bye,  Brother  Ravanel;  it's 
hard  on  you,  but  develish  good  for  me.  So  I  guess 
we  can  square  off  even.  Every  dog  must  have  its 
day,  yuu  know.  But  I'll  swear  by  all  the  gods  of 
Homer  this  is  better  and  comes  much  sooner  than  I 


Forewarnings  89 

ever  expected.  What  meaning  in  that  part  'Eros'! 
Ah,  what  depths  of  pregnant  meaning  the  ancients 
gave  to  that  word!  It  meant  not  only  love,  but  the 
very  god  of  love  and  passion.  So  be  it!  And  I  am 
the  only  living  mortal  who  bears  this  name  and 
title!  Ha! 

"He  says  it  is  imperative  that  I  should  have  an 
heir.  I  would  like  to  know  where  I  am  to  get  one 
all  at  once !  I  am  sure  I  would  not  object  to  it.  I 
must  marry  and  have  a  family!  Marry  whom1?  By 
Jove!  I  wonder  if  Viola  has  forgotten  me1?  The 
only  girl  I  ever  really  loved  and  I  have  not  seen  her 
in  five  years !  But  I  hope  to  see  her  soon.  I  wonder 
if  she  still  loves  me?  What  a  veritable  passion  of 
love  she  once  had  for  me. 

"Ravanel  warns  me  against  the  hate  of  the  Earl 
of  Littlefield,  our  spiteful  cousin.  'Thy  life  and 
honor  are  all  that  stands  between  him  and  our  for- 
tune.' Well,  I  have  a  good  deal  of  life  left,  not  to 
say  anything  about  the  honor.  But  that  Tieir!  Where 
can  I  get  that  heir?  Lady  Eroslove!  How  would 
that  sound?  Thanks  to  Swindle  a  thousand  times 
over  that  his  timely  services  saved  the  wasting  of 
this  title  upon  her,  my  poor  invalid.  But  a  few 

days  more  and  I  will But  what  can  I  do  with 

her?  I  can't  endure  a  scene!  That  woman's  tears 
will  kill  me.  Oh,  ye  gods,  would  that  women  did 
not  know  how  to  cry!  I  would  so  much  rather  they 
would  fuss.  But  to  cry  and  sob  at  me  and  on  my 
account,  I  can't  endure  it.  I  will  go  down  and  see 
Swindle  and  Snoots  and  begin  operations."  He 


90  Miss  Incognita 

ordered  Ms  phaeton  and  drove  rapidly  to  5001-2 
Bowery  Place. 

"Great  God — or — ah — my  great  Lord  Eroslove, 
can  this  letter  mean  you1?" 

"Of  course,  none  other,  Swindle." 

"Such  luck !  It's  an  ill  wind  that  bloweth  nobody 
good,"  said  Snoots. 

"What  dc  you  propose  to  do  with  it,  my  G , 

oh,  my  lord?  That  is — ah — what  are  you  going  to 
do?"  asked  Swindle,  looking  beseechingly  toward 
Lord  Eroslove  and  ominiusly  toward  Snoots. 

"I  am  going  to  leave  you  very  soon.  That's  what 
I  came  down  to  see  you  about.  I  have  something 
for  you  to  do."  And  Swindle  and  Snoots  moved 
nearer  the  speaker  and  exchanged  knowing  glances. 

"What  is  it  you  would  have  us  do,  my  God — ah — 
lord?"  asked  Swindle  humbly,  at  the  .same  time 
giving  Snoots  a  look  which  meant:  "We  musn't 
lose  such  a  customer  if  we  can  help  it.  It  will  ruin 
us." 

"Well,  you  must  help  me  get  rid  of  an  incum- 
brance.  I  mean  the  woman.  Ah,  how  many  times 
have  I  thanked  you,  Swindle,  that  you  saved  me  from 
a  marriage  contract  with  her.  What  would  be  my 

condition  today  if "  He  stopped  short  when  he 

saw  the  look  of  fear  or  guilt  that  came  over  Swindle's 
countenance. 

"Well,  what's  the  matter?" 

"Oh,  nothing,  Sir  Henry,  but " 

"Yes,  call  me  Sir  Henry.  I  like  that,  too.  But 
what?  Go  on." 


Forewarnings  91 

"I  was  going  to  <say,  but  there  seems  to  be  a  mis- 
take somewhere." 

"A  mistake,  how  sir?" 

"About  that  marriage,"  answered  Swindle,  getting 
still  nearer  the  door. 

"How,  sir,"  thundered  out  Sir  Henry. 

"Well,  you  see,  my  lord,  my  Sir  Henry,  you 
wrote  us  a  note  and  sent  it  by  Dr.  Lindsay  about 
the  license,  ou  know." 

"You  fool,  I  know  that.  But  you  were  not  a  legal 
officer  nor  minister.  That  was  what  saved  me." 

"Alas,  my  g — ood  lord,"  said  Swindle,  still  near- 
ing  the  door,  "that  is  what  ruins  us.  It  was  not  a 
mock  ceremony." 

"You  lie,  sir!"  yelled  Sir  Henry,  as  Swindle  half 
opened  the  door.  "Come  back,  sir,  and  explain 
yourself." 

"Excuse  me,  my  lord.  I  couldn't  help  it.  I 
thought  you  knew,  sir,  I  thought  everybody  knew 
I  was  a  minister." 

If  an  overpowering  blow  had  struck  Lord  Eros- 
love  over  the  region  of  the  heart,  it  would  not  have 
staggered  him  more  than  this  reply  of  Swindle's. 

"You  see,  my  lord,  in  all  our  mock  ceremonies 
we  have  made  sure  to  have  a  bogus  license.  You 
spoiled  it  all  yourself  by  dispensing  with  my  services 
as  best  man,  as  has  always  been  the  custom  in  these 
matters,"  said  Snoots. 

"And  did  you,  as  such,  return  this  license  with 
your  endorsement  thereon  to  the  court?" 

"I  filled  it  out,  Sir  Henry,  and  signed  it  by  direc- 


92  Miss  Incognita 

tion  of  your  friend,  Dr.  Lindsay,  you?  best  man, 
and  he  returned  it  himself." 

"Then  I  am  undone !"  and  Lord  Eroslove  sat  down 
with  his  head  resting  on  his  hands. 

After  a  period  he  arose  and  said:  "I  will  go 
over  and  consult  my  attorney,  Colonel  Wrangle. 
You  both  meet  me  here  in  an  hour." 

And  the  discomfited  man  strode  away  to  buy  the 
brain,  the  cunning  and  the  soul  of  a  lawyer  to  aid  him 
in  getting  rid  of  a  woman  who  loved  him  better  than 
life  and  trusted  in  him  as  in  her  God. 

As  soon  as  Lord  Eroslove  left  the  room  Swindle 
gave  his  great  nose  a  pull  and  Snoots  strode  the 
room  gleefully,  projecting  his  fat  stomach  farther 
in  front  than  common,  and  said:  "Again  has  the 
saying  come  to  pass,  that  'it's  an  ill  wind  that  blows 
nobody  good,'  eh,  Swindle?" 

"Yes,  Snoots,  and  you  will  see  that  this  will  prove 
the  best  job  we  have  ever  gotten  out  of  the  many 
furnished  us  by  his  Satanic  Majesty,  the  new  great 
Lord  Eroslove." 

"Yes,  indeed,  Swindle.  Who  would  ever  have 
dreamed  of  this  great  change  in  his  fortune  and  the 
present  brilliant  prospects  for  a  change  in  ours1? 
We  will  make  hay  while  the  sun  shines." 

"Yes,  Snoots;  as  Holy  Writ  says:  'Today  is  the 
day  of  our  salvation.'  But  how  is  he  to  get  rid  of 
the  woman ?  Where  will  we  come  in?" 

"Don't  you  bother  yourself,  Swindle.  The  lawyer 
will  fix  it,  and  you  may  be  sure  he  will  need  such 
men  as  me  and  you  to  help  Mm,  Our  business  and 


Forewarnings  93 

(hat  of  the  lawyer's  dovetail  together,  to  take  ad- 
vantage of  the  innocent  and  defeat  justice." 

Thus  did  these  two  villains  plot  and  plan  until 
Lord  Ei'oslove  returned. 

Soon  they  heard  his  footsteps  and  he  came  to  the 
door,  saying: 

"Well,  my  lawyer  thinks  there  is  no  chance  for  a 
divorce  on  my  part,  even  here  in  Chicago.  He  blunt- 
ly told  me  that  I  was  in  a  bad  box  and  he  saw  no 
way  to  get  me  out.  However,  at  my  suggestion  we 
agreed  to  play  a  plan,  as  a  measure  of  compromise 
with  my,  ah — wife,  and,  if  she  refuse  to  agree  to 
this,  then  we  will  adopt  another  as  a  last  resort. 
Under  the  first  plan  she  will  remain  my  wife  in 
name  only,  being  the  reputed  mother  of  my  child  or 
children.  If  she  refuses  to  agree  to  this,  then  we  will 
adopt  another  as  a  last  resort.  Under  the  other  plan 
— but  wait,  one  thing  at  a  time.  Here  are  some  writ- 
ten instructions  of  the  duties  assigned  to  you  both, 
which  must  be  faithfully  performed  at  once.  Every- 
thing must  be  in  readiness  for  tomorrow  night,  and 
we  meet  at  the  fancy  ball  at  'The  Castle.'  Follow  the 
instructions  implicity.  Serve  me  and  I  will  pay  you 
well.  Mark  me,  follow  those  instructions. 


94  Miss  Incognita 


CHAPTER  IX. 

A    DESPERATE    EXPERIMENT 

ON  .this  evening  in  August  the  wind  from  the  cool 
expanse  of  the  lake  was  driving  away  the  hot  breath 
of  the  city,  and  giving  delight  to  all  its  inhabitants. 
It  was  a  rare,  beautiful,  summer  night,  clothed  in 
the  pale  light  of  the  half  moon,  and  blessed  with  ex- 
hilarating zephyrs  like  those  of  autumn. 

The  lights  of  "The  Castle"  within  were  rather  dim 
and  of  many  colors,  so  that  they  gave  forth  attrac- 
tive beauty,  without  disclosing  too  plainly  the  forms 
of  those  within. 

"The  Castle"  was  a  brick  building,  situated  near 
the  lake  front  in  the  outskirts  of  the  City.  It  was 
owned  by  a  club  of  wealthy  young  men,  who  met  here 
for  fun  and  revelry. 

The  motto  of  "The  Castle"  had  always  been 
"Vivamus  dum  vivimus." 

Pleasure  and  beauty,  wine  and  love  were  supreme 
on  these  weekly  occasions;  those  who  came  left  care 
and  conscience  behind. 

Walking  toward  "The  Castle"  on  this  evening 
were  four  men  engaged  in  earnest  conversation. 

"I  say,  Dr.  Dumas — ah,  excuse  me,  Sir  Henry — 
since  we  held  our  conference  yesterday,  are  you  as 
much  determined  on  your  course  as  ever1?" 

"Yes,  Swindle,  I  broached  my  plans  to  you  after 


A  Desperate  Experiment  95 

full  consideration  with  my  attorney  and,  when  I  have 
thus  made  up  my  mind,  I  never  change." 

"But  suppose,  Sir  Henry,  she  objects?  Have  you 
spoken  to  her  about  the  plans  you  have  in  view?" 

"No.  Here  we  are  at  'The  Castle'  now.  But  be- 
fore entering  let  me  ask  you,  Swindle,  are  they  here, 
and  how  many  have  you  here  to  whom  you  have 
breached  my  plans'?" 

"Oh,  Sir  Henry,  there  are  several,  and  they  are 
beautiful  virgins,  I  assure  you.  True,  they  are  not 
high  born ;  you  did  not  expect  this.  I  told  them  of 
your  high  birth  and  title,  and  what  you  wanted.  I 
gave  each  the  invitation  to  the  ball  sent  by  you,  as  a 
member  of  the  club,  so  that  their  admission  here 
would  not  be  questioned.  However,  I  told  none  of 
them  your  name.  But  I  must  tell  you  especially  of 
one  beautiful  young  lady,  Sir  Henry,  to  whom  I  gave 
an  invitation,  but  told  her  nothing  of  your  plans.  She 
said  she  knew  you  as  the  son  of  the  former  Lord  Eros- 
love,  and  brother  of  Sir  Ravanel,  and  also  as  Dr. 
Dumas,  your  professional  name  here." 

"Ah,  indeed !  How  did  you  chance  to  meet  with 
her?  This  is  passing  strange!" 

"By  a  mere  accident.  It  seems  that  she  has 
recently  arrived  in  this  country,  and  had  gone  to  a 
banker  to  get  some  exchange  cashed.  It  was  neces- 
sary for  her  to  be  identified,  as  she  did  not  have 
her  letter  of  credit  with  her  at  the  time.  She  told 
the  banker  she  knew  you,  if  she  could  be  successful 
in  finding  you.  The  banker  knew  that  I  could  locate 
you,  and  sent  to  my  office  for  me.  But  the  young 


96  Miss  Incognita 

lady  came  with  the  messenger — she  seemed  so  anxious 
to  find  out  about  you — and  when  she  learned  that  I 
knew  you  intimately,  Sir  Henry,  she  seemed  to  forget 
about  her  business  with  the  banker,  and  plied  me 
with  questions  about  you.  Oh,  Sir  Henry,  she  was 
inquisitive !" 

"Well,  Swindle,  what  else  did  you  say  and  do1? 
You  surely  didn't  tell  her  where*  I  lived,  and  of  my 
present  incumbrances  and  plans?" 

"No,  no,  Sir  Henry.  I  told  her  you  had  apart- 
ments at  the  club,  and  that  if  she  were  not  in  a 
hurry  about  the  business  at  the  bank,  I  would  wait, 
and  accompany  her  here  tonight,  that  she  might  see 
you.  And  she  said,  'Never  mind  about  the  bank, 
and  that  I  need  not  accompany  her,  for  she  was 
traveling  in  this  country  alone,  and  would  engage  a 
phaeton  and  come  without  an  escort.  .She  then  asked 
me  directions  to  'The  Castle,'  and  I  gave  her  one  of 
the  invitations  and  left  her." 

"You  did  not  find  out  her  name,  nor  why  she  had 
come  to  America?" 

"No,  Sir  Henry,  she  told  me  nothing." 

"Well  done,  Swindle.  Now  remember,  when  we 
go  into  'The  Castle,'  we  will  take  our  seats  where  we 
can  observe  all,  and  not  be  observed  too  plainly.  We 
must  surely  elude  the  eye  of  this  unknown  lady  until 
I  am  ready  to  see  her.  Would  you  know  her  again?" 

"Yes,  indeed,  Sir  Henry." 

The  four  men  were  met  at  the   door  of     "The 


A  Desperate  Experiment  97 

Castle"  by  a  gaily  dressed  servant.  They  entered 
the  dancing  hall  and  all  retired  quietly  to  one  corner 
of  the  room,  where  they  could  have  full  view  of  all 
the  occupants  and  not  attract  the  marked  attention  of 
any.  After  they  had  comfortably  arranged  them- 
selves where  they  had  a  full  view  of  all  the  party 
Lord  Eroslove  said: 

"Count,  I  shall  tonight  select  and  try  to  make 
terms  with  the  most  beautiful  woman  here,  to  be  my 
de  facto  wife,  and  mother  of  my  future  child.  Say, 
Swindle,  find  her  and  show  her  to  me!  In  the  midst 
of  such  beauty,  man,  I  grow  impatient.  But  keep 
your  eye  open  for  the  strange  woman." 

"Quickly  look,  Sir  Henry,  to  the  left,  standing 
alone.  See  that  little  woman  in  violet,  toying  with 
her  scented  lace  handkerchief?  She  has  been  looking 
at  you  for  some  time." 

"Yes,  I  see  her.  What  a  peirite  but  well-made 
figure  she  has,  though  somewhat  inclined  to  embon- 
point. See,  Count,  she  has  a  plump  white  arm,  an 
ideal  hand,  pretty  and  quite  delicate  foot,  shoulders 
full  and  round,  and  though  a  little  small,  still  her 
breasts,  as  revealed  by  her  delicate  bodice,  are  as  fair 
and  beautiful  as  the  white  rosebud  just  before  it 
expands  itself  into  the  dimensions  of  the  rose.  Her 
hair  is  of  that  blackness  which  you  see  only  on  the 
jackdaw's  wing,  and  which  glistens  almost  like  a 
crown  of  glory  on  her  head;  the  eyes  are  chestnut 
brown,  and  throw  out  a  soft,  liquid  light.  See  her 
•lender  nose,  with  little  open  nostrils,  which  gently 


98  Miss  Incognita 

vibrate  as  she  breathes — and  her  humid,  sensual 
mouth,  with  a  little  furrow  in  her  lower  lip !" 

Lord  Eroslove  was  about  to  go  over  to  her  when 
he  turned  back,  saying:  "Any  other,  Swindle1?  But 
wait;  do  you  see  the  strange  woman  yet1?" 

"No.  But  let  me  show  you  another  lovely  maiden, 
Sir  Henry.  Do  you  see  the  beauty  there  with  her 
elbows  resting  on  the  mantlepiece1?  She  is  another 
who  came  to  meet  you." 

"Yes,  I  see;  she  looks  like  a  beautiful,  melan- 
choly swan,  displaying  her  neck  so  harmoniously, 
and  now  and  then  moving  her  sleeves  as  though  they 
were  wings?" 

"Yes,  she  is  the  one." 

"Doesn't  she  look  like  modesty  itself,  as  though 
she  personified  everything  that  is  chastest  and  most 
maidenly  in  the  world?  You  know,  Count,  I  like 
her  already!  Still,  she  looks  cold,  as  though  she 
had  a  brow  of  snow  and  a  heart  of  ice.  But  that 
means  much,  and  indicates  passion  controlled  by 
purity.  See !  Her  dress  is  white,  and  she  acts  as 
though  she  would  have  us  believe  that  her  soul  is  the 
same.  She  has  orange  blossoms  and  the  leaves  of  the 
water-lily  in  her  hair,  as  though  these  badges  of  vir- 
ginity told  a  true  tale.  May  we  hope  so.  I  believe 
I  will  see  her.  Swindle,  do  you  not  yet  see  the 
strange  woman  ?" 

An  hour  later  when  he  returned  to  the  dancing 
hall  with  the  beautiful  maiden  leaning  on  his  arm, 
his  face  was  aglow  with  intense  emotion,  and  his 
impulsive  nature  was  stirred  to  its  depths — so  much 


A  Desperate   Experiment  99 

so,  that  he  said  to  himself,  "The  dance,  the  dance 
is  the  thing  to  quell  my  blood !"  And  leaning  over 
he  whispered  to  his  companion,  and  the  next  moment 
he  had  her  to  his  breast,  and  began  gliding  through 
the  fascinating  mazes  of  the  waltz. 

He  had  not  danced  long,  when,  as  the  whirl  of 
the  waltz  brought  him  opposite  an  open  door  leading 
into  a  private  parlor,  he  came  face  to  face  with  the 
strange  visitor  Swindle  had  described.  The  moment 
their  eyes  met,  he  excused  himself  to  his  companion, 
abandoned  the  dance,  and  quickly  went  to  the  side  of 
the  fair  stranger,  while  his  heart  fluttered  violently 
in  the  cage  of  his  breast.  As  he  turned  to  her,  she 
led  the  way  into  the  private  parlor,  to  avoid  the 
publicity  of  their  meeting,  and  as  they  rushed  into 
each  other's  arms,  but  two  words  escaped  their 
lips:  "Viola!"  "Henry!"  while  at  the  same  time 
they  greeted  one  another  \\ith  passionate  kisses,  of- 
times  repeated.  Then  she  exclaimed : 

"Oh,  Henry,  my  love  of  old,  what  joy  to  see  you 
and  feel  myself  once  more  in  your  arms!"  And  he 
held  her  off  a  little  way  from  him,  searching  her 
countenance  with  looks  of  passionate  appeal,  and 
said : 

"My  angel  of  love,  whom  I  thought  dead  to  me, 
have  you  really  come  back  into  my  life !  Viola, 
can  it  be  true  that  it  is  you?" 

"Yes,  dear  Henry.  But  why  did  you  leave  me? 
Why  did  you  not  write  to  me1?" 

"Why,  my  own  Viola,  I  wrote  you  often,  but 
never  heard  from  you,  and  I  thought,  'Well,  she 


100  Miss  Incognita 

has  forgotten  me,  and  has  given  her  heart  to  the  Earl 
of  Littlefield;  therefore  I  will  let  her  pass  out  of  my 
life,  saving  the  sweet  treasure  of  her  memory.' " 

"Oh,  my  God,  can  it  be  true?  Then  I  had  divined 
rightly  after  all,  and  you  had  not  ceased  to  love 
me." 

"What  is  it?  Tell  me,  Viola,  what  it  is  you  had 
divined1?"  for  his  heart  had  been  seized  with  trepedi- 
tion  for  fear  she  had  heard  of  his  marriage. 

"You  know,  dear  Henry,  after  my  father's  death, 
the  Earl  of  Littlefield  had  the  management  of  my 
father's  estate,  and  also  became  my  guardian.  Oh, 
he  was  a  tyrant,  and  thought  he  should  control  me 
in  everything.  He  was  your  father's  pnemy  and  your 
brother's,  and  is  yours,  and  he  forbade  me  receiving 
any  letters  from  you  or  writing  to  you.  And,  I 
know  it  now,  he  destroyed  my  letters  to  you  and 
intercepted  yours,  and  that  is  why  I  lost  you  and 
and  thought  I  had  lost  you  forever."  And  again 
Viola  wept  tears  of  rage  and  then  of  joy.  And 
while  she  was  weeping,  Lord  Eroslove  said: 

"Villain  of  villains,  did  he  dare  to  thus  wreck  my 
life  and  my  love?  What  else,  Viola,  has  he  done?" 

"Would  you  believe  it,  when  I  tell  you  that  of 
late  years — for  two  years  at  least — he  has  pretended 
to  love  me,  and  has  pressed  his  hated  suit  upon  me 
day  and  night.  I  wanted  to  fly  from  him,  but  knew 
not  where  to  go.  One  day  I  went  to  see  Ravanel, 
your  poor,  suffering  brother  Ravanel,  who  may  now 
be  on  the  very  verge  of  death"  (she  did  not  know  he 
was  dead),  "a'nd  I  asked  him  about  you.  I  had  often 


A  Desperate  Experiment  101 

wanted  to  do  this,  but  my  pride  rebelled  against 
it,  for  I  thought  you  had  cast  off  the  little  sweetheart 
of  childhood  days,  as  you  never  wrote  to  me — as  I 
then  thought.  In  my  desperation  I  asked  your 
brother  about  you,  and  found  out  where  you  were. 
I  determined  to  come  to  you.  So  three  weeks  ago  I 
wrote  a  letter  telling  them  not  to  be  uneasy  about 
me;  that  I  had  gone  off  on  a  trip,  and  that  they 
must  not  try  to  find  me.  Then  I  sailed  on  the 
Majestic,  and  my  overland  trip  here  was  quickly 
made." 

"Well,  well,  my  brave  little  darling,  you  are  an 
adventuress  in  one  sense  of  the  word,  sure  enough. 
And  what  did  you  expect  for  me  to  do  when  you  got 
here?  Go  right  back  and  kill  the  hated  Earl?" 

"I  don't  care  whether  we  ever  go  back  or  not. 
I  have  you  now  and  you've  me — just  as  we  wanted 
to  be  years  ago — so  what  else  can  we  want?  You 
know,  my  Henry  boy,  we  couldn't  ever  have  a  better 
chance  to  be  married?" 

"That  is  true,  my  dear  girl!"  replied  Sir  Henry, 
with  a  troubled  look  on  his  brow  and  a  still  more 
troubled  sea  in  his  heart.  "But  somehow,  I  would 
rather  have  our  marriage  take  place  in  England.  I 
like  its  marriage  laws  better;  and  then  I  think  it 
would  be  more  appropriate  for  Lady  Viola's  and  Sir 
Henry's  nuptials  to  be  celebrated  there." 

"You  say,  'Sir  Henry's' — Ra^ane! — or  rathetf 
Lord  Eroslove — is  not  dead,  is  he?" 

"Yes,  Viola,  he  died  but  a  few  days  ago,  after 


102  Miss  Incognita 

your  departure;  in  fact  within  a  very  few  days  after 
you  saw  him." 

"Poor  Ravanel,  how  he  suffered!  And  you  are 
now  Lord  Eroslove  ?" 

"Yes,  Viola,  and  you  shall  be  Lady  Eroslove  just 
as  soon  as  arrangements  can  be  made  in  keeping 
with  such  an  event." 

"Pshaw !  Let's  not  bother  about  arrangements ! 
We  love  one  another.  What  more  do  we  want?" 

"Just  one  thing,  sweethear;  the  joy  of  anticipa- 
tion. This  alone  we  will  lose  by  instant  marriage." 

Viola  was  the  only  daughter  of  Lord  Hanover, 
who  had  been  a  friend  of  the  old  Lord  Eroslove. 

Lord  Eroslove  had  given  her  up  as  lost  to  him, 
and  now,  since  she  had  so  suddenly  and  mysteriously 
come  back  into  his  life  his  passion  had  returned 
with  a  hundredfold  interest.  From  the  moment  he 
saw  her  he  gave  up  all  his  plans  with  regard  to  the 
maiden  he  had  chosen  to  be  the  mother  of  his  child, 
so  far  as  retaining  any  serious  intentions  of  carrying 
them  out.  But  he  determined  to  make  use  of  this 
plan  as  a  pretext  to  get  rid  of  Eidola,  He  believed 
it  would  have  a  terrible  effect  on  her,  knowing  her 
ardent  temperament  as  he  did. 

We  are  led  to  exclaim :  Oh !  divine  love,  oh !  thou 
tender  passion  of  the  human  heart,  sweetest  and 
divinest  of  all  human  emotions,  bow  terrible  thou 
canst  become  when  thy  plans  are  crossed  or  thy  hot 
desires  thwarted!  What  an  angel  in  peace,  what  a 
devil  in  war! 


A  Desperate  Experiment  103 

As  soon  as  Lord  Eroslove  had  seen  Viola  safely 
to  her  hotel,  he  went  at  once  to  500 1-2  Bowery 
Place,  and  from  there  he  and  Swindle  and  Snoots 
went  to  the  residence  of  Colonel  Wrangle,  the  lawyer, 
and  were  closeted  there  until  dawn,  forming  plans  of 
action  to  be  carried  out  without  delay. 


104  Miss  Incognita 


CHAPTER  X. 

THE    FATAL   TERMINATION 

THE  day  after  the  events  detailed  in  the  last 
chapter  Lord  Eroslove  lingered  most  of  the  day  in 
and  about  his  wife's  apartments. 

Finally,  as  he  drew  up  his  chair  by  her  bed  and 
sat  down,  she  said : 

"Well,  my  dear  Henry,  what  is  it  you  have  to 
say?  I  know  it  is  something  which  troubles  you, 
and  I  can  read  it  in  your  face." 

"Yes,  Eidola,  and  I  sincerely  hope  it  will  not 
trouble  you  half  so  much  as  it  has  me." 

"I  would  willingly  take  it  all  from  your  shoulders 
and  bear  it  upon  mine,  as  weak  as  they  are,  if  by  so 
doing  I  could  relieve  you  of  it.  Pray  tell  me?" 

"Then  since  you  ask  it,  I  must.  And  I  trust  you 
will  look  with  cool  reason  upon  it  and  make  me  no 
rash  refusal.  Since  you  and  I  were  married,  changes 
of  momentous  importance  to  me  have  taken  place- 
My  family  affairs  I  have  never  mentioned  to  you, 
and  now  I  cannot  until  some  more  opportune  time 
in  the  future.  What  I  must  say  to  you  now  is  this: 
These  changes  have  operated  to  place  me  in  a  position 
where  I  consider  it  necessarys,  yea,  imperative,  to 
have  an  heir." 

"Why,  Henry,  it  is  strange  you  should  mention 
to  me  your  desire  for  that  which  you  know  is  impos- 


The  Fatal  Termination  105 

sible.  I  cannot  conceive  why  you  should  taunt  me 
with  my  infirmity." 

"Eidola,  you  mistake  my  purpose.  I  do  not  speak 
to  yon  on  this  subject  to  taunt  you,  but  to  suggest  to 
you  a  way  in  which  you  can  gratify  me  and  endow 
yourself  with  the  blessings  and  joys  of  motherhood 
without  undergoing  its  travail." 

"And,  Henry,  pray  tell  me  how  is  this?"  she 
asked  in  quick,  startled  tones. 

"By  your  consent  to  an  experiment  out  of  mar- 
riage." 

She  raised  herself  sideways  on  one  elbow,  thus 
bringing  herself  nearer  to  her  husband,  and  replied, 
with  a  smile  nestling  all  over  her  face,  which  he 
interpreted  into  acquiescence  to  his  plans: 

"Do  you  mean  we  will  adopt  a  sweet  little  one?" 

"No,  it  must  be  of  my  blood.  It  must  be  my 
legal  heir,  and  if  you  will  co-operate  with  me,  you 
have  it  in  your  power  to  have  it  so." 

She  fell  back  upon  her  pillow  as  though  a  poison- 
ed dart  had  entered  her  heart.  She  closed  her  eyes 
and  her  face  took  on  the  pallor  of  death. 

After  a  little  she  said  in  a  low  voice: 

"Then  you  come  here  to  invite  me  to  quicken  my 
infirmities  and  hasten  to  die  before  my  time?  I 
cannot  otherwise  interpret  what  you  mean." 

"No,  Eidola,  you  utterly  misconstrue  my  mean- 
ing. Why  should  I  wish  you  to  die,  to  accomplish 
what  can  be  done  so  easily  with  you  alive?  Can 
you  not  see  how  you  can  be  my  wife  and  yet  another 
be  the  mother  of  my  child? 


106  Miss  Incognita 

All  the  courses  of  life  seemed  to  quickly  return 
to  the  almost  lifeless  woman  and  to  warmly  flood 
the  chilled  channel  of  her  veins.  She  raised  herself 
to  a  sitting  posture,  and  fastening  her  eyes  upon  the 
face  of  her  husband,  exclaimed : 

"You  mean  that  I,  yet  undivorced,  alive  and  un- 
buried,  shall  be  the  specter  of  a  wife,  and  she,  the 
\vould-be  mother  of  your  child,  the  living  body !  I 
be  the  living  ghost,  inhabiting  alone  my  sepulchral 
chamber,  and  she  the  bride  of  flesh  and  blood,  barter- 
ing her  hot  virginity  for  the  bliss  of  my  conjugal  couch 
swooning  the  while  in  my  husband's  embraces !  You 
mean  that  I  shall  sickly  attend  upon  her  passionate 
desires  and  continue  to  live  the  cast-off  hulk  of  your 
affections!" 

He  saw  that  his  plan  was  having  the  desired 
effect  on  her  in  arousing  her  deeply,  so  he  determined 
to  continue  this  horrible  torture: 

"Eidola,  Eidola,  wait  and  let  me  reason  with  you ! 
You  are " 

"No,  a  thousand  times  'No !'  Rather  than  sub- 
mit to  such  dishonor  I  would  welcome  death  and 
even  overtake  him,  though  he  fled  from  me!"  Her 
deluge  of  feeling  could  find  no  further  vent  in  words 
and  she  sank  into  a  torturous  silence. 

Her  silence  gave  him  time  to  formulate  his  further 
procedure.  So  he  said: 

"Really,  Eidola,  if  you  loved  me  yould  allow 
me  to  seek  that  pleasure  which  you  can  neither  enjoy 
nor  give.  You  yourself  make  no  sacrifiece  of  those 
joys,  nor  relinouish  any  of  the  delights  of  that  love 


The  Fatal  Termination  107 

which  I  obtain  from  another.  You  are  powerless  to 
enjoy  or  give  the  bliss  of  either.  You  would  still 
have  me,  and  I  would'  still  be  yours.  She  would 
claim  but  happy  periods  of  my  time,  which  could 
not  be  missed  by  you,  while  I  myself  would  be  always 
yours.  Your  chaste  bed  of  sickness — which  must 
be  to  me  but  the  couch  of  a  sacred  maiden,  or  of 
descrepit  age — wxmld  lose  nothing  by  my  truant  ab- 
sences, except  the,  to  you,  unused  interval  of  time. 
Above  all,  you  can  never  bless  me  with  that  life  of 
my  life,  blood  of  my  blood,  for  which  I-crave.  Look 
at  the  devoted  Sarah  of  ancient  times,  the  faithful 
consort  of  Abraham — father  of  the  so-called  chosen 
people  of  God — who,  when  she  thought  'her  days  of 
motherhood  had  passed  without  fruition,  prayed  her 
conjugal  lord  and  love  to  woo  the  couch  of  the  maid- 
servant, Hagar,  if  perchance  the  Lord  would  bless 
him  with  a  son  and  multiply  his  seed  upon  the  earth, 
Sarah  herself  saying  "It  may  be  that  I  may  obtain 
children  by  her.'  " 

"Yes,"  cried  Mrs.  Dumas,  and  after  Hagar's  ac- 
couchment,  when  she  was  blessed  with  a  son,  after 
having  been  blessed  with  Abraham's  love,  she  de- 
spised her  mistress,  and  taunted  her  -with  insulting 
raillery,  until  Sarah  was  fo-rced  to  humiliate  herself 
before  her  husband  and  beg  his  protection.  Then 
when  Abraham  delivered  Hagar  into  the  hands  of  her 
mistress,  to  do  with  her  as  she  pleased,  she  dealt 
hardly  with  her,  so  that  she  drove  her,  bearing  her 
infant  son,  away  into  the  wilderness.  Even  the  son 
of  this  unsanctified  love  was  accursed.  He  became 


1 08  Miss   Incognita 

a  wild  man,  his  hand  was  against  every  man's  hand 
and  every  man's  hand  against  his.  If  Sarah  was 
thus  humbled  'and  accursed  by  even  her  maid-servant, 
over  -whom  she  had  authority,  what  would  be  my  fate 
at  the  hands  of  her  whom  you  propose,  with  my  con- 
sent and  intrigue,  to  make  the  mother  of  your  child! 
Think  you  that  my  love  for  you  is  but  a  trifle  which 
can  be  laid  aside  to  suit  your  whims,  or  which  can 
be  tossed  by  me  from  my  heart  on  to  the  lecherous 
couch  of  a  hired  paramour1?  Are  not  my  love  and 
the  sweet  memories  of  my  former  passion  for  you 
worthy  of  such  esteem  in  your  heart  as  would  keep 
you  always  content  with  me  even  though  our  future 
married  life  be  one  of  chastity?  Is  a  man  so  bestial 
that  he  fain  must  confound  love  with  passion?  Oh, 
my  Henry,  why  have  you  thus  thrust  this  two-edged 
dagger  into  my  heart?"  Her  frail  body  shook  and 
quivered  like  a  crushed  reed  when  made  sport  of  by 
*he  wind. 

Dr.  Dumas  was  silent  for  a  time,  sitting  with  his 
head  somewhat  bowed — then  he  said  in  a  low  voice : 

"I  see,  Eidola,  your  love  is  a  selfish  one.  Since  it 
is  now  without  the  body  of  passion  why  should  it 
deny  me  that  which  it  has  not  and  cannot  give1?" 

To  this  she  replied  in  a  kind  of  moaning,  pleading 
tone: 

"Ah,  Henry,  I  see  you  have  no  comprehension  of 
a  woman's,  a  wife's  heart!  Love  without  jealousy  is 
but  as  a  body  without  soul,  which  will  soon  dissolve 
and  pass  into  corrupt  decay!  Love  that  is  not  sel- 
fish is  but  as  a  magnet  bereft  of  its  attractive  power; 


The  Fatal  Termination  109 

so  long  as  it  is  endowed  with  the  current  of  its 
subtle  life  it  must  and  will  attract,  and  hold  that  which 
by  affinity  is  its  own,  reaching  out  its  invisible  though 
powerful  arms  and  embracing  to  its  heart  its  own 
beloved;  and  not  until  the  steel-cold  body  is  dead, 
and  its  mysterious  life  has  passed  into  the  infinity 
of  the  unknown,  will  it  release  its  own  from  its 
jealous  clasp  and  allow  it  to  fall  away  from  its 
selfish  bosom !  Do  you  not  know,  Henry,  that  passion 
by  itself  is  but  the  hereditary  instinct  of  the  brute, 
but  as  the  rash  force  of  gravity,  which,  for  awhile, 
by  the  operation  of  its  blind  power,  binds  one  cor- 
poreal body  to  another,  setting  aside  and  disregarding 
those  higher  laws  and  purer  forces  of  affinity  which 
operate  to  unite  soul  to  soul  in  love,  as  well  as  body 
to  body  in  passion?  Though  my  body  may  be  bereft 
of  its  passion  by  the  devitalizing,  depleting  course  of 
my  infirmity,  yet  this  loss  has  but  augmented  the 
subtler  power  of  love  in  my  soul.  And  this,  Henry, 
this,  my  all,  my  soul's  passion,  you  would  take  from 
me,  and  poison  it  with  the  foul  breath,  and  bury  it 
in  the  corrupt  bosom  of  your  venal  courtesan !  My 
love  shall  not  thus  by  my  consent  damn  itself  in  dis- 
graceful suicide!  Bather  than  thus  dishonor  my  love, 
my  own  hand  shall  disembowel  my  corporeal  life  and 
so  release  my  soul  from  such  ignominious  death." 

"Ah !"  he  thought  to  himself,  "a  consummation 
devoutly  to  be  wished !"  Then  he  continued  in  a 
still  more  tantalizing  tone: 

"Care  you  not  for  my  future,  Eidola?  Care  you 
not  for  what  I  may  have  to  disclose  to  you  aboul 


1 1 0  Miss  Incognita 

myself,  my  ambition,  my  plans,  my  position,  my 
family — all  of  which  I  will  do  when  what  I  ask  of 
you  is  accomplished,  but  which  I  cannot  do  short  of 
this?" 

"No,  I  care  not  for  these  things.  Oh,  Henry,  let 
us  be  content  in  our  present  love,  and  I  swear  to  you ! 
yea,  observe,  I  swear  it !"  (and  she  lifted  up  her  pallid 
hand  toward  high  heaven,  and  the  lace  sleeve  of  her 
lounging  robe,  slipping  down,  exposed  her  thin,  angu- 
lar and  almost  spectral  arm — this  her  husband  saw 
and  he  quickly  turned  his  eyes,  as  though  it  pained 
him,  the  connoisseur  of  beauty,  even  to  look  upon 
this  ugly,  ghostly  reality) — "I  swear  that  I  will  be 
myself  again ;  yea,  and  more,  I  shall  bless  you  with 
more  beauty  than  you  have  ever  reckoned  upon,  even 
in  our  happiest  moments.  Health  shall  find  its  em- 
bodiment in  me;  yea,  rosy-cheeked  health,  like  a  hot, 
valiant  youth,  shall  woo  me  for  his  consort  and  in 
his  fealty  to  me  shall  keep  his  watch  about  my 
beauteous  couch !  Be  true  to  me,  Henry,  in  this,  my 
affliction,  and  I  will  yet  bless  you  with  joys  you  ween 
not  of  and  present  you  as  the  first  fruits  of  my  reju- 
venated passion  that  which  you  crave — the  life  of 
our  life,  the  blood  of  our  blood,  even  as  Sarah  of  old 
honored  and  made  glad  her  husband  Abraham  when 
they  had  thought  such  joy  was  never  again  to  be 
expected !" 

He  replied  with  but  little  show  of  feeling: 
"You  then  persist  in  your  refusal1?    Nothing  re- 
mains to  me  but  to  carry  out  my  plans." 

This  threat  of  his  aroused  all  the  fierce  elements 


The  Fatal  Termination  1 1  1 

of  the  tigress  that  was  latent  in  her  nature — that 
had  been  distilled  and  instilled  in  her  fiery  blood 
from  the  hot  veins  of  her  chivalrous  cavalier  ances- 
try. Then  sitting  upright  on.  her  couch  with  her  little 
feet  drawn  up  beneath  her,  she  said: 

"Then  sir,  you  treat  with  disdain  the  fruitful 
promise  of  my  love  and  the  prophetic  potency  of  my 
oath!  And  now  you  propose  to  humiliate  me  by 
an  enforced  dishonor.  Stay !  You  shall  not  leave 
me  yet  until  I  have  spoken !  Dare  you  to  execute 
your  threats  and  it  were  better  that  you  and  she  were 
in  your  congenial  bed  in  hell!  Weak  as  I  am,  in 
your  power  as  I  am,  I  yet  defy  you !  Desert  me  if 
you  will,  fly  \dth  your  paramour  if  you  desire !  Yea, 
if  it  must  be  done,  pollute  the  earth  with  your  ille- 
gitimate, unsanctified  progeny,  and  call  them  by  your 
name  and  mine — a  name  I  am  forced  to  wear — but 
remember,  you  and  I  shall  meet  again,  and  the  un- 
forgotten  fury  of  despoiled  love  shall  make  a  reckon- 
ing between  us!" 

Then,  as  her  husband  i-eached  the  door  and  strode 
out  in  the  hall,  her  tender  love — that  love  which  he 
implanted  and  fixed  in  the  most  secret,  deepest  spring 
of  her  being — again  arose  in  her  heart,  and  the  sweet 
memories  of  her  past  joys  ascending  like  incense 
before  her  eyes,  and  forgetting  her  fury  of  the  mo- 
ment past,  she  called  out  >as  best  she  could  in  her 
weak,  plaintive  voice: 

"Henry,  oh,  Henry,  come  back  to  me,  dear  Hen- 
ry !  One  word  with  you  Henry !  Just  one  word !" 
She  sat  up  on  her  couch,  with  her  eyes  straining  at 


1 1 2  Miss  Incognita 

the  door  as  chough  expecting  it  to  open,  and  her  little 
left  hand  \vas  pressed  upon  her  heart.  Thus  she 
remained  for  a  few  moments,  and  when  he  came  not 
she  lay  back  upon  the  couch  and  turned  her  face  to 
the  wall.  She  could  not  cry,  for  her  grief  was  beyond 
the  level  of  the  tears,  so  she  closed  her  eyes  and  for 
the  first  time  in  her  life  realized  that  she  was  alone! 

How  long  she  lay  thus  she  did  not  know,  for  in 
depths  of  grief  as  in  the  ecstacies  of  joy;  we  are  not 
conscious  of  the  passing  of  time. 

Finally,  however,  she  reached  a  point  where  she 
could  think ;  soon  her  mind  hit  upon  some  iuea,  for 
she  pressed  the  button  of  a  call  bell  and  then  awaited 
the  arrival  of  a  servant. 

Mrs.  Dumas  drew  up  her  little  writing  desk  to 
her  couch,  and  hastily,  though  carefully,  wrote  a  letter 
and  addressed  it.  By  the  time  she  had  finished  it, 
Sam  came  in,  ready  to  do  any  service  she  required. 

"Sam,  do  you  know  where  Dearborn  Street  is?" 

"Yes'm,  oi  know  it  all  over." 

"Do  you  know,  or  can  you  find  the  building  known 
as  No.  352?" 

"Yes'm,  oi  will  sartainly  do  it." 

"Take  this  note  there  and  deliver  it  to  the  gentle- 
man to  whom  it  is  addressed.  Yoii  can  read,  can 
you  not?" 

"Yes'm,  and  oi  will  deliver  your  note,  ma'am." 

"Be  careful,  Sam,  and  allow  no  one  m  see  & 
Tell  no  one  of  your  errand.  SanaP 

"Yes'm,  oi  am  listenia*  !* 

*l'ome  here,* 


The  Fatal  Termination  1 1 3 

Sam  came  up  close  to  her  and  she  dropped  a 
coin  in  his  hand,  which  he  received  with  a  grin,  a 
grimace,  and  a  number  of  low  bows. 

"Do  you  know  what  that  means,  Sam?" 

"Yes'm,  hit  means  furr  me  to  be  ready  to  swear 
that  oi  will  do  all  you  say,  ma'am." 

"And  will  you  do  it?" 

"Oi  will !  so  help  me,  St.  Patrick." 

When  Lord  Eroslove  abruptly  left  his  wife's 
room  he  entered  his  study,  and  there  in  waiting  were 
Dr.  Swindle  and  Snoots,  who  had  overheard  the  con- 
versation. 

"As  soon  as  he  came  out  of  his  wife's  room  he  led 
the  way  into  the  laboratory.  He  turned  toward  the 
two  men  and  quickly  made  certain  mysterious  move- 
ments with  his  hands,  uttering  strange  words,  and 
gazing  into  their  eyes!  After  a  moment  or  &•  of 
this  procedure,  he  said: 

"So,  Snoots,  you  and  Swindle  heard  all,  did  you? 
You  heard  her  rave  and  curse!  You  heard  the  strug- 
gles, as  I  attempted  to  restrain  her!  You  heard  her 
awful  threats  to  take  my  life!  You  heard  all  this, 
every  word !" 

"Yes,"  replied  both,  and  Swindle,  continuing, 
said,  "And  we  thought  several  times  that  her  ravings 
were  so  terrible  we  would  have  to  come  in  to  protect 
you." 

"You  will  both  swear  to  these  facts  which  you  both 
heard  with  your  own  ears;  and  will  swear  that  it 
would  be,  in  your  opinion,  unsafe  to  allow  her  to  be 
at  large?  You  "will  swear  that  she  raves  at  all  times 


1  14  Miss  Incognita 

and  threatens  my  life,  and  that  you  have  oeard  her 
day  and  night." 

As  he  made  these  suggestions  to  them  he  moved 
his  hands  before  them  until  their  eyes  were  closed, 
and  he  saw  they  were  fully  under  his  power.  Then 
he  repeated  his  suggestions  to  them  over  and  over 
again,  as  to  what  they  must  swear,  they  all  the  while 
affirming  that  what  he  said  was  true.  Then  before  he 
awoke  them  he  said  with  great  emphasis: 

"Now  remember  when  the  trial  takes  place,  you 
cannot  keep  from  swearing  to  all  these  occurences. 
You  know  they  are  facts  and  you  will  swear  to  them ! 
You  -will !  You  will !"  and  he  reiterated  to  them  over 
and  over  what  they  must  swear.  Then  he  awoke 
them  by  passing  his  hands  upward  over  them,  and  they 
awoke  as  if  in  a  dream,  Snoots  saying  as  if  dreaming: 

"We  sure  can —  "  and  Swindle  assented  thereto 
with  a  downward  deflection  of  his  omnipresent  nose. 
Then  he  continued  talking  to  them : 

"You  must  be  emphatic  on  this  point — 'that  she  is 
dangerous.  In  ordinary,  mild  cases  of  insanity,  the 
law  is  not  harsh,  and  generally  stops  at  the  appoint- 
ment of  a  guardian  for  the  lunatic.  But  where  proof 
shows  it  to  be  a  bad  case  the  law  requires  confinement 
in  an  asylum. 

"By-the-bye,  where  is  that  fellow  Lindsay?  He 
left  our  place  soon  after  my  marriage,  ahem!  which 
he  was  responsible  for,  I  do  not  want  to  en- 
counter him  again,  for  I  want  no  undue  publicity  in 
this  matter." 

"Nor  I  either,"  said  Swindle. 


The  Fatal  Termination  1 1 5 

"Come,  we  must  be  going  into  the  city.  Much 
is  to  be  done  this  evening,  for  I  want  to  have  the 
inquisition  of  lunacy  to-morrow.  She  has  no  rela- 
tives to  be  served  with  notice  of  the  inquisition.  I,  as 
her  husband,  will  make  the  affidavit  as  to  her  lunacy, 
so  no  time  need  be  lost.  Swindle,  you  have  talked 
with  Dr.  Regular,  have  you?  I  mean  the  dean  of 
the  Chicago  Medical  College,  whom  I  instructed  you 
to  see!" 

"Oh,  yes,  and  he  will  make  you  a  good  witness." 

''My  lawyer  has  already  spoken  to  the  judge  of 
the  Court  of  Probate,  having  jurisdiction  over  such 
matters,  and  it  now  remains  for  me  to  go  down  and 
make  the  affidavit  this  afternoon  and  have  the  jury 
of  inquisition  summoned.  Snoots,  I  told  Colonel 
Wrangle  that  you  would  assist  him  and  the  court  in 
empaneling  the  jury,  so  you  can  have  put  on  it  such 
men  as  you  have  fixed.  The  two  doctors  necessary 
to  be  had  in  such  cases  we  already  have  in  Drs. 
Swindle  and  Regular — eh,  Swindle?" 

"You  may  depend  upon  them,  sir,  implicitly." 

"Then  we  will  have  everything  ready  for  the 
trial  at  two  o'clock  tomorrow.  Be  sure  and  bring 
the  jury  of  inquisition  at  tha-t  hour,  Snoots.  Get 
them  together  in  good  time.  I  will  have  my  lawyer 
and  Swindle  will  have  Dr.  Regular  there.  And  re- 
member, you  heard  everything  and  will  swear  ex- 
actly as  I  told  you." 

By  this  time  they  had  gone  some  distance,  where 
they  took  a  car  and  continued  their  journey. 

Late  in   the  afternoon  of  the  same  day  of  the 


1 1 6  Miss  Incognita 

occurenees  which  I  have  narrated,  a  gentleman  with 
a  handsome,  dashing  team,  was  seen  to  drive  up  to 
1001  Lincoln  Park  Square.  He  alighted  and  was 
shown  into  Mrs.  Dumas'  apartments,  where  he  re- 
mained for  an  hour  or  more,  and  then  drove  away. 

Mrs.  Dumas  spent  a  miserable  night.  It  was  ten 
o'clock  the  next  morning  before  she  attempitj  *<)  eat 
any  breakfast.  Then  she  put  on  her  wrapper  and 
lay  upon  the  lounge,  trying  to  think  upon  her  future. 
As  she  thus  lay  thinking  and  moaning  and  trying  tc 
sooth  her  breaking  heart,  she  heard  the  sudden  tramp- 
ing of  many  footsteps  and  before  she  could  think  of 
what  it  meant  a  dozen  or  more  men  had  entered  her 
room  and  ranged  themselves  about  it. 


The  Inquisition  .    117 


CHAPTER  XL 

THE    INQUISITION 

As  a  general  thing  Mrs.  Dumas  was  a  woman  of 
cool  temperament.  She  was  not  a  woman  to  faint 
and  go  into  hysterics. 

But  when  she  saw  the  motly  crowd  of  men  which 
now  had  arranged  themselves  about  her,  staring  at  her 
with  looks  of  curiosity  on  their  faces,  as  though  she 
were  some  strange  animal,  she  lost  her  self-control. 

She  gazed  from  one  to  the  other  like  an  aroused 
tigress  driven  to  bay.  In  the  crowd  as  she  hastily 
scanned  it,  she  noticed  red  faces  and  bloated  faces 
and  purple-colored  faces,  and  unwashed,  begrimed, 
unshaven  and  diseased-looking  faces. 

There  were  all  shapes  of  heads  which  belonged 
to  the  lower  order  of  intellectual  and  moral  develop- 
ment. 

The  clothes  they  wore  were  as  varied  and  motley 
and  degraded-looking  as  their  faces. 

This  was  the  "Jury  of  Inquisition"  which  Colonel 
Wrangle  and  Snoots  had  empaneled  to  carry  out  under 
forms  of  the  law  the  outrageous  plans  of  Lord  Eros- 
love  to  rid  himself  of  the  trembling  little  woman  who 
\vns  crouched  there  on  the  couch  before  them.  As 
Mrs.  Dumas'  eyes  wandered  from  one  of  these  men 
to  the  other  she  finally  spied  the  little  bean  eyes 
of  Dr.  Regular  peering  at  her  very  searchingly  from 


118.  Miss  Incognita 

one  corner,  and  she  noticed  that  he  was  saying  some- 
thing about  her  to  a  man  by  his  side. 

Mrs.  Dumas  observed  that  he  persisted  in  thus 
staring  at  her  and  pointing  at  her,  even  when  he 
saw  she  was  looking  at  him.  Lord  Eroslove  had 
taken  pains  to  take  a  position  in  the  rear  of  some 
of  the  party,  so  as  to  screen  himself  as  much  as 
possible  from  the  eye- of  his  wife. 

Mrs.  Dumas  had  not  seen  him,  and  as  Dr.  Reg- 
ular, whom  she  had  once  met  at  the  Medical  Col- 
lege, was  the  only  man  in  the  crowd  whom  she  recog- 
nized, she  determined  to  address  him,  and  from 
him  get  some  account  of  this  strange  gathering  and 
insulting  proceeding  going  on  about  her. 

"I  believe  I  have  met  you,  sir.  You  are  Dr. 
Regular,  of  the  Chicago  Medical  College.  I  demand 
to  .know  of  you  what  all  this  means.  You  are  acting 
as  though  you  were  crazy." 

When  Mrs.  Dumas  uttered  the  word  "crazy,"  in- 
stead of  waiting  to  reply  to  her,  Dr.  Regular  turned 
to  the  man  with  the  cataract  nose  and  said: 

"There,  you  hear  that,  Dr.  Swindle?  It  is  one 
of  the  invariable  signs  of  lunacy  that  they  think 
other  people  crazy.  Observe  that  point."  Then 
replying  to  Mrs.  Dumas  and  peering  right  into  her 
eyes1  in  the  most  interested  way,  he  said :  "Do  your 
best  to  calm  yourself,  madam.  We  realize  it  is  hard 
for  you.  to  understand,  but  it  is  best  for  you,  madam. 
So  don't  be  alarmed." 

"I  am  not  alarmed,  sir.  I  am  indignant  at 
such  treatment  as  this,  and  I  will  have  an  explanar 


The  Inquisition  1 1 9 

tion  of  it!"  As  she  spoke  she  raised  herself  to  a 
sitting  posture  and  looked  sternly  upon  the  crowd. 

"You  see,  Dr.  Swindle,  they  always  get  indig- 
nant when  their  condition  has  to  be  examined  into. 
That  is  one  of  the  points  I  always  make  in  my  lec- 
tures to  my  students."  Then  looking  toward  Mrs. 
Dumas,  he  replied : 

"You  see,  madam,  the  law  requires  it.  We  are 
but  servants  of  the  law  and  are  here  to  carry  out 
the  law  and  to  apply  in  your  case  its  beneficent 
provisions.  You  will  please  submit  as  quietly  as 
possible,  and  not  show  a  rash  and  rebellious  spirit." 

This,  to  her,  inexplicable  and  impudent  language 
aroused  her  indignation  more  and  more.  She  raised 
her  thin  hand,  and  in  her  agitation  waved  it  up 
and  down  like  the  wand  of  a  spectre.  Then  point- 
ing straight  at  Dr.  Regular  she  said  in  a  shrill,  broken 
voice : 

"You  act  like  a  madman,  sir!  I  command  you 
and  this  insulting  mob  to  leave  my  apartments  im- 
mediately,- sir!" 

So  emphatic  was  her  manner  and  so  shrill  and 
mandatory  was  her  voice  that  Dr.  Regular  receded 
a  step  or  two  toward  the  door,  at  the  same  time  get- 
ting Snoots  in  between  him  and  the  enraged  lady, 
and  saying  to  Swindle  and  to  the  jury:  "It  is  one  of 
the  plainest  cases  I  was  ever  called  upon  to  examine. 
T  fear  she  will  soon  become  violent.  You  see  she 
already  calls  me  a  madman.  They  generally  accuse 
others  of  having  the  malady,  the  degree  of  malady 
which  afflicts  them.  I  nearly  always  make  this  point 
in  my  lectures  to  my  classes." 


120  Miss  Incognita 

"You  wrongly  accuse  us,  madam.  You  imist  be 
quiet.  We  do  not  care  to  use  force  to  control  you. 
The  sad  affliction  of  the  demented  often  renders 
them  dangerous.  Jnst  be  patient,  and  Colonel 
Wrangle  will  conduct  the  proceedings  and  you  will 
soon  understand  all." 

"Then  you  are  here  charging  me  with  being  de- 
mented, are  you?"  she  cried  out  with  most  vehement 
indignation,  at  the  same  time  getting  upon  her  feet 
at  the  side  of  her  couch,  as  though  preparing  to  ad- 
vance upon  the  whole  crowd.  Observing  this,  Snoots 
tried  to  get  behind  Dr.  Regular,  and  Dr.  Regular 
gave  a  sidewise  movement  and  ti'ied  to  get  behind 
Swindle  and  Snoots  both,  and  they  all  three  were 
crowded  together  in  one  corner  of  the  room. 

Colonel  Wrangle  took  a  step  or  two  in  front  of 
the  crowd  and  addressing  her,  said : 

"May  it  please  your  honor — ah — a — excuse  me, 
madam,  but  may  it  please  you,  madam,  to  be  seated. 
You  are  in  a  condition,  though  you  may  not  be 
aware  of  it,  which  renders  this  proceeding-  necessary. 
Your  husband,  madam — 

"My  husband!  I  have  no  husband!  Did  'he  not 
yesterday  desert  me?  And  now  has  he  dared  to  do 
this  also?  Where  is  he  that  I  may  see  him  and  tell 
him  all?  Show  me— 

"Why,  madam,  he  is  here.  This  is  his  affidavit 
made  out  in  court  upon  which  this  proceeding  is 
based,  and  which  this  jury  is  empaneled  here  to  de- 
cide upon  and  pronounce  true  or  false.  Be  quiet  and 
I  will  read  it." 


The  Inquisition  121 

"Wait,  sir.  Where  is  Tie?  As  you  read  let  him 
stand  forth  by  your  side,  that  I  may  see  him!  I 
want  to  see  him,  his  face,  his  ey.es,  and  read  in  them 
whether  he  made  this  affidavit." 

Lord  Eroslove  up  to  this  time  had  managed  to 
keep  himself  concealed  behind  the  others.  But  upon 
the  demand  made  by  his  wife,  the  crowd  involun- 
tarily parted,  leaving;  him  exposed  to  her  gaze. 
Seeing-  he  was  observed,  and  that  there  was  no  longer 
any  chance  to  keep  himself  in  the  background,  he 
stalked  forward  and  stood  by  the  side  of  his  attor- 
ney. 

She  stood  and  looked  at  him  as  one  in  a  reverie. 
Then  without  moving  her  gaze,  she  remarked  to  the 
lawyer,  as  though  she  were  conducting  the  proceed- 
ings, "You  may  now  read  the  affidavit." 

Lord  Eroslove  stood  there,  clasping  his  hands 
first  behind  and  then  before  him,  looking  at  every- 
thing except  at — her  face. 

Then  Colonel  Wrangle  said:  "Gentlemen  of  the 
jury,  I  will  now  read  you  the  affidavit  upon  which 
these  proceedings  are  based,  and  which  you,  under 
your  caths,  are  to'  find  true  or  false : 

"STATE  OF  ILLINOIS,  COUNTY  OF  COOK. 
"In  person  before  me  comes  Dr.  Henry  Dumas, 
who  being  duly  sworn,  deposes  and  says,  that  his 
wife,  Eidola  Dumas,  is  now  and  for  some  weeks 
has  been  of  unsound  mind,  and  he  makes  this  affi- 
davit that  a  Jury  of  Inquisition  may  be  summoned 
and  empaneled  to  inspect  the  condition  of  the  said 


122  Miss  Incognita 

lady,  and   inquire   into   the   facts   and  return   their 
verdict     accordingly,    recommending     to    the     court 
whether  it  is  necessary  to  order  the  confinement  of 
the  said  accused  in  the  Asylum  for  the  Insane. 
"(Signed.)  HENRY  DUMAS." 

"Sworn  to  and  subscribed  before  me  this  29th 
day  of  August,  1869. 

H.  J.  HUGNER,  Judge. 

There  was  a  deathly  stillness  in  the  room  upon 
the  conclusion  of  the  reading  of  the  affidavit.  Mrs. 
Dumas  had  not  for  a  second  removed  her  gaze  from 
her  husband's  eyes  and  face.  She  then  asked  in  a 
voice  full  of  feeling  and  emotion,  as  though  even  in 
this  humiliating  ordeal  the  sweet  memories  of  past 
love  made  her  tender: 

"And,   Henry,   did  you  make  that   affidavit?" 

"I  did,  madam." 

"Did  you  sign  it,  even  sign  it,  Henry1?" 

"I  dil,  madam."      • 

"My  ears  may  misinterpret  his  words  and  deceive 
me!  I  want  to  see  the  signature  and  know  whether 
my  eyes  agree  with,  or  contradict  my  ears.  Colonel 
Wrangle,  may  I  see  it?" 

"Yes,  madam,  of  course.    Here  it  is." 

She  looked  at  it  long  and  scrutinizingly.  The 
perjured  paper  shook  in  her  agitated  grasp  as  though 
it  were  moved  with  guilty  feeling,  and  not  she  with 
overwhelming  emotions.  Then  she  slowly  passed  it 
back  to  the  lawyer,  and  looking  again  into  the  eyes 
of  her  husband,  said: 


The  Inquisition  123 

"You  then  were  very  anxious  to  get  rid  of  me, 
Henry?" 

"Oh,  no  madam !  I  was  anxious  to  place  you 
where  you  could  be  properly  treated !" 

"Gentlemen,  I  understand  it  all  now.  You  may 
proceed  to  put  me  in  an  asylum  or  in  a  tomb !  It 
matters  not  to  me !"  And  she  sank  back  upon  her 
couch. 

The  jury  and  witnesses  then  retired  from  the 
room  and  went  into  the  laboratory,  where  Colonel 
Wrangle  proceeded  to  question  the  witnesses,  who 
were  Lord  Eroslove,  Snoots,  Drs.  Swindle  and  Regu- 
lar. Lord  Eroslove  detailed  many  exaggerated  oc- 
curences  to  prove  the  demented  and  very  dangerous 
condition  of  his  wife.  Snoots  and  Swindle  swore 
exactly  as  Loi'd  Eroslove  had  commanded  them. 

The  jury  returned  the  verdict  as  follows: 

"We  find  Mrs.  Eidola  Dumas  to  be  violently  insane 
and  recommend  that  she  be  committed  at  once  to  an 
asylum  for  the  insane." 

This  was  signed  by  the  foreman,  and  then  Colonel 
Wrangle  said : 

"Anticipating  your  verdict,  I  had  the  court  sign 
the  proper  orders  for  commitment  at  once.  You,  Dr. 
Swindle,  I  have  had  appointed  as  a  deputized  officer 
of  the  court,  to  remain  here  and  take  charge  of  the 
lady  and  convey  her  as  soon  as  possible  to  the  asylum, 
where  she  is  to  remain  until  legally  discharged.  Here 
is  your  commission  and  I  trust  you  will  execute  it 
faithfully." 

The  matter  being  now  concluded,   the   jury  and 


124  Miss  Incognita 

all   the  party   took   their  departure  except   Swindle 
and  Lord  Eroslove,  who  remained  in  the  laboratory. 

"So,  Dr.  Dumas — beg  your  pardon,  Sir  Henry  I 
should  have  said — you  leave  Chicago  at  once." 

"Yes,  Swindle.  I  have  everything  ready.  My 
trunks  have  already  gone  and  I  will  leave1  in  a  few 
minutes.  I  sail  direct  to  England  as  soon  as  I  arrive 
in  New  York.  I  have  left  a  good  deal  of  rubbish  of 
one  sort  and  another,  including  the  laboratory.  These 
you  can  have  and  do  with  them  as  you  see  fit.  Re- 
member, you  are  to  report  to  me  about  her  as  soon 
as  I  reach  England.  Let  me  know  how  she  endures 
the  confinement  and  gruesome  atmosphere  of  the 
asylum.  I  don't  think  she  can  survive  it  long.  An^- 
way,  you  keep  me  posted." 

"Yes,  I  will  do  so,  Sir  Henry.  But  what  about 
the  balance  of  my  and  Snoots'  fee  in  this  matter?" 

"Oh,  well,  I  will  send  you  that  when  I  arrive  in 
England  and  have  my  first  tidings  from  you.  "Well, 
I  must  be  going.  The  demented  lady's  sobs  coming 
out  of  that  room  do  not  sound  as  sweetly  to  me  as 
the  first  nocturne  I  heard  her  play  in  the  parlor 
below,  about  fifteen  months  ago.  So  I  guess  I 
won't  tarry  to  listen  to  her.  Good-by,  Swindle.  Re- 
member, serve  me  well,  and  I  will  pay  you  well." 

And  Lord  Eroslove  gave  Swindle's  hand  a  flippant 
shake,  and  turned  away  from  him  with  a  contempt- 
uous smile  upon  his  face.  As  he  drove  away  he 
looked  up,  by  accident  or  otherwise,  and  saw  the  thin, 
chalk-white  face  of  his  wife  pressed  against  the 
window-pane  of  her  room,  and  her  sad  eyes,  which 


The  Inquisition  125 

appeared  unusually  large,  were  fixed  upon  him.  And 
far  down  the  street  he  knew  that  those  eyes  were 
fastnd  upon  him  still.  His  body  shivered,  and  he 
drove  away  as  rapidly  as  possible,  not  once  turning 
his  head  to  look  back  again. 

Within  two  days  thereafter  Lord  Eroslove  sailed 
for  England  and  with  him  was  Viola. 


1 26  Miss   Incognita 


CHAPTER  XII. 

IN    ENGLAND 

ONE  evening  in  the  month  of  June,  two  years 
after,  two  men  were  walking  leisurely  along  Prim- 
rose Hill  Road  in  London,  going  in  the  direction  of 
the  junction  of  this  road  with  Regent's  Park  Road. 
On  their  right  was  uplifted  the  fair  bosom  of  Prim- 
rose Hill,  rising  over  two  hundred  feet  above  the 
level  of  the  surrounding  surface. 

Looking  north  across  Albert  Road  one's  eye  rested 
upon  the  more  extended  beauties  of  Regent's  Park, 
which  spread  out  like  a  gorgeous  landscape  bedecked 
in  the  cool,  fresh  garments  of  the  spring. 

Nestling  at  the  foot  of  Primrose  Hill,  and  seem- 
ingly occupying  a  part  of  its  more  level  surface, 
was  a  large  brick  mansion  in  Gothic  style,  which 
fronted  not  only  toward  Albert  Road  but  also  towansd 
Primrose  Hill  Road  across  the  intervening  expanse 
of  Primrose  Hill  Park. 

The  two  men  whom  we  had  observed  walking 
along  Primrose  Hill  Road  were  talking,  and  had 
slackened  their  pace  until  they  scarcely  moved.  They 
were  looking-  down  a  long  avenue  in  the  direction  of 
the  Gothic  brick  mansion,  the  taller  one  of  the  two 
saying: 

"Yes,  it  was  here  that  I  saw  and  met  her  the 
second  time  since  my  return;  arranging  my  Iryst 


In    England  127 

wiiu  her,  even  in  spite  of  the  tyrannical  interference 
of  that  jealous  guardian,  the  Earl  of  Littlefield.  It 
was  in  the  evening  just  at  the  hour  when  beautiful 
sunset  was  painting  evanescent  masterpieces  upon  the 
immense  canvas  of  the  sky — gorgeous  masterpieces, 
which  would  put  to  shame  the  miniature  patchwork 
of  a  Reubens  or  Michael  Angelo. 

"Standing  in  one  of  these  windows  and  meshed 
in  a  fairy  network  of  curtains  and  drapery  of  rare 
old  Italian  handiwork  I  saw  the  as  yet  uncrowned 
queen  of  my  heart.  She  was  dressed  in  a  robe  of 
black  velvet  daintily  trimmed  with  silver  cloth,  an 
open  bodice,  which  she  had  in  neglige  fashion,  left 
unfastened  at  the  neck,  except  that  it  was  partially 
held  together  by  a  stream  of  diamonds,  which  glis- 
tened about  her  throat.  She  was  leaning  on  the  bal- 
cony with  a  languid,  melancholy  air,  as  though  she 
were  waiting  for  me  to  come,  though  not  expecting 
me." 

"Describe  her  to  mee,  Zir  Heenry.  Ees  she  beau- 
teeful1?"  asked  Count  Antignolio  of  Lord  Eroslove 
— for  these  are  the  two  men  we  have  observed. 

"She  could  hardly  be  termed  a  perfect  beauty  fn 
the  face. 

"She  has  a  sparkling  smile  and  beautiful  dimples. 
Her  figure  reveals  a  wealth  of  rare  curves  and  shapes, 
undulating  like  flames,  endowed  with  force  and  sup- 
pleness, her  walk  undulating  like  the  willowy  grace 
of  a  gazelle,  her  hips  full  and  yielding,  and  sloping 
downward  from  their  outward  points  into  the  more 
modest  graces  of  the  limbs,  her  shoulders  broad  and 


128  Miss  Incognita 

gently  tapering,  like  the  soft,  glossy  back  of  the 
swan,  her  neck  a  rare  poem  of  curves  and  roundness. 
Hers  is  a  rich,  voluptuous  beauty,  Count,  which  only 
Reubens  has  ever  put  upon  canvas.  Oh,  ye  gods, 
how  I  love  her!  love  her!  and  worship  such  beauty 
as  hers! 

"Well,  Count,  as  she  stood  thus  at  the  window 
she  saw  me  near,  and  dropped  her  glove,  a  sign  she 
gave  me  that  the  way  was  clear.  I  picked  it  up, 
and  kissed  it,  at  the  same  time  entering  the  mansion 
and  presenting  it  to  her.  As  I  said,  this  was  our 
second  secret  meeting  since  our  return  here  in  her 
house.  She  pressed  me  to  take  supper  with  her, 
which  I  did.  It  was  served  in  her  boudoir.  Between 
the  sparkle  of  her  eyes  and  the  sparkle  of  the  wine, 
I  experienced  a  flood  of  joy  and  of  passion.  And 
to  think  that  such  joy  and  love  as  she  gives  me  should 
}  ave  to  filched,  yea,  stolen,  as  though  I  were  a  com- 
mon thief  and  she  another's  property,  to  be  kept 
tinder  lock  and  key.  I  will  not  endure  it !  I  swear 
I  will  not !" 

"Eend  you  zay,  Zir  Heenry,  that  thes  is  Mees 
"Veola,  Hanover,  daughter  ov  Lord  Hanover?  The 
same  who  come  to  you  een  Amereeea?" 

"Yes,  Count,  and  the  sweetheart  of  my  boyhood 
days,  whom  I  still  love  and  adore  above  all  others." 

"I  have  heard  she  vas  fast,  delecously  fast,  Zir 
Heenry !" 

"Not  so,  Count,  except  in  her  love  for  me.  Yet 
even  if  she  were,  she  but  inherits  the  blood  of  her 
family,  Count.  -Sir  Archibald  Hanover,  'her  grand- 


In   England  129 

father,  was  one  of  our  noble  scrapegraces  who  loved 
wine  and  women  better  than  life  and  liberty.  Her 
father,  Sir  Launeelot  Hanover,  was  more  of  a  Sultan 
than  ever  Sir  Archibald  dared  to  be.  Hence,  I  say 
*hat  even  if  she  were  fast,  the  young  lady  is  not  re- 
sponsible for  her  blood,  no  more  than  I  am  for  mine. 
My  father,  Sir  Harry — I  hate  to  say  it  of  him,  for 
he  is«dead  now — was  a  veritable  patron  saint  of  "The 
Latter  Day  Church,'  as  we  used  to  say  in  America. 
He  caused  the  jealous,  loving  heart  of  my  mother 
more  grief  than  I  hope  I  will  ever  cause  any  woman. 
T  would  that  I  had  inherited  the  cool  blood  and 
chaste  temperament  of  my  mother,  as  my  poor 
brother  Ravanel  did — peace  to  his  ashes!  But  as 
the  fates  seem  to  have  decreed  it  otherwise,  I  can't 
help  it. 

"Wherefore,  I  say,  Count,  that  as  my  passion 
of  passions  is  the  master  passion  of  love,  which  in- 
habits my  arteries  and  even  colors  to  a  deeper  hue 
the  red  corpuscles  of  my  blood,  I  shall  not  deny  my 
nature,  nor  starve  into  decrepitude  and  white  hairs 
by  castigations  of  celibacy  this  mortal  body  of  mine, 
my  rash  inheritance  from  my  father." 

"You  talk,  Zir  Heenry,  like  a  veeretable  poeet  of 
pazzion." 

"Nay,  Count,  I  myself  am  a  veritable  poem  of 
passion.  Nature  was  the  poet  and  she  made  me  the 
poem.  Say,  Count,  have  you  and  the  Countess  de- 
cided to  occupy  my  house  on  the  terms  I  propose? 
That  is  it  there,  three  doors  from  the  Hanover 
Mansion,  fronting  on  Albert  Road.  We  will  pass  it 
ii  a  moment." 


130  Miss  Incognita 

"Let  zee  ageen,  vat  vere  ze  terms  eend  eondee- 
lions'?" 

"Well,  as  I  before  told  you,  I  am  determined  to 
thwart  the  plans  of  that  guardian  of  hers.  It  is 
impossible  as  yet  for  me  to  marry  Viola,  because 
the  lunatic  in  the  Chicago  Asylum  will  not  accomo- 
date  me  by  dying,  and  I  will  not  commit  bigamy 
and  by  this  felony  forfeit  my  estates  to  this  Earl. 
He  would  want  nothing  better  than  that.  Viola  is 
continually  urging  our  marriage  and  I  have  to  contin- 
ually find  some  excuse  to  defer  it,  for  I  dare  not  tell 
her  of  that  crazy  wife  in  Chicago.  Yet,  I  love  her 
more  and  more  and  must  see  her.  I  must  arrange  a 
trysting-place  outside  of  her  guardian's  mansion. 
Now  my  plan  is  this :  to  get  you  and  the  Countess 
introduced  into  the  Primrose  Hill  set.  Hence,  I 
advanced  you  the  money  to  procure  your  wardrobes, 
and  had  you  invited  to  several  of  the  recent  recep- 
tions. So  you  are  now  established,  you  see,  at  least 
for  my  purpose.  I  have  already  given  it  out  that 
you  had  taken  my  house  here  on  Albert  Road  for 
the  season  or  longer.  The  mansion  has  been  in  our 
•family  for  a  long  time,  and  was  one  of  my  father's 
city  residences.  It  is  handsomely  furnished,  so  all 
you  have  to  do  is  to  move  in  and  take  possession. 
The  people  of  this  set  think  you  and  the  Countess 
possess  wealth  in  Italy.  You  and  your  estimable 
wife  are  to  further  my  plans  in  my  affair  with  Viola 
by  cultivating  the  young  lady  and  having  her  form 

•warm  attachment  for  the  Countess.  She  can  visit 
the  Countess  much,  and  I  also  will  become  a  fre- 
quent visitor  at  your  establishment.  My  being  an 


In  England  131 

eld  bachelor  (so  far  as  is  known  here)  will  be  your 
excuse  for  entertaining  me  often,  and  keeping  an 
open  house  to  me,  but  Viola's  guardian  is  not  to 
know  of  my  intimacy  there.  See  what  a  trysting- 
place  for  me  and  my  love  your  house  will  be1?" 

"Zat  may  bee  true,  Zir  Heenry,  but  who  pay  ze 
eexpenses  eend  keep  up  ze  establishment?" 

"I  thought  perhaps  you  had  enough  for  this 
purpose,  Count,"  said  Sir  Henry  dryly,  though  laugh- 
ing to  himself.  Continuing,  he  said  further:  "Have 
you  none  of  the  fortune  you  got  from  Miss  Fancier, 
now  the  Countess  Santonio,  in  Paris?" 

"Not  zee  leest  bit,  Zir  Heenry." 

"And  did  your  suit  fail  with  a — ah,  Miss  Lucky, 
last  summer  at  Saratoga?  You  spoke  to  me  of  that 
off  air  once,  you  remember?" 

"Yes,  eet  deed.  You  zee  ze  Earl  of  Muchtitle 
put  een  to  vin  her,  eend  outranking  me  he  cuts  me 
out.  Ze  young  lady  eenformed  me  zat  Muchti'le 
vas  ze  one  she  was  after  getting,  eend  vas  vat  she 
vanted.  Much  to  mee  conteentment  zey  are  now 
living  in  Rome,  Eetely,  veery  unhappely,  because 
ze  Earl  ees  veery  unsateesfied  vid  de  fortune  allowed 
leem" 

"Oh,  well,  then,  Count,  I  will  arrange  for  the 
expenses  of  the  establishment,  if  you  and  the  Coun- 
tess will  accept  my  terms  and  conditions." 

"Vee  eexcepts  zeem  now,  and  vill  serve  you  at 
once,  when  you  are  reedy." 

"All  right.  You  shall  take  charge  of  Albert  Road 
Mansion  tomorrow. 


132  Miss  Incognita 

"By-the-bye,  Count,  seeing  Vian's  Restaurant 
fhere  calls  to  my  mind  the  fact  that  it  is  past  dinner 
hour.  Would  you  object  to  dropping  in  there 
long  enough  to  take  dinner  with  me?" 

Count  Antignolio  looked  at  him  with  amazement. 
The  idea  of  such  a  question  being  asked  him,  when 
ther:  was  a  gnawing  going  on  in  his  stomach  which 
had  not  been  fully  allayed  for  two  days. 

"At  your  command,  Zir  Heem*y;  I  would  not  ob- 
ject to  eenything  zat  would  give  you  pleasure.  I 
vas  just  theenkeng  I  would  reech  home  too  late  to 
dine  meeself  vid  mee  vife." 

Sir  Henry  ordered  dinner  for  two,  and  very  soon 
ihe  Count  was  oblivious  to  all  mundane  things,  ex- 
cept the  wine  laughing  in  the  crystal,  the  brown  and 
white  pheasants  smoking  in  the  blazoned  dishes,  and 
the  incense  arising  from  the  smoking  altars  of  many 
vessels.  When  his  stomach  had  been  filled  until  there 
was  no  more  room  to  contain  epicurean  delights,  Sir 
Henry  observed  that  the  Count  slyly  filled  his  pockets 
until  thei'e  was  not  a  vestige  left  of  that  bountiful 
•'dinner  for  two." 

About  the  time  they  were  preparing  to  arise  from 
ihe  table  a  young  man  just  past  his  stage  of  youth, 
but  not  many  years  into  that  of  manhood,  came  in 
and  sat  down  at  a  table  near  them.  He  was  medium 
faize,  slender,  and  feminine  in  many  respects,  with 
a  slight  stoop  and  round  shoulders,  a  projecting 
face  and  nose  and  no  development  of  the  head  in  the 
rear — hair  sandy  and  long  and  parted  in  the  middle, 
and  combed  down  a  little  over  the  sma1!  forehead, 


In   England  133 

and  over  the  left  ear  was  adjusted  a  goggle  of  crystal 
glass. 

He  was  dressed  in  extreme  fashion  and  dragged 
aiong  with  him  a  heavy  crooked-handle  cane. 

As  he  walked,  he  swung  from  side  to  side,  as 
though  his  little  legs,  slightly  bowed,  were  trying 
to  play  seesaw.  His  watch  chain  was  massive,  his 
diamond  stud  ultra-conspicious  on  account  of  it.-; 
size,  and  his  fingers  heavily  jeweled. 

He  gazed  complacently  about  the  dining  hall  from 
one  table  to  another.  Finally  his  eye  rested  upon 
Sir  Henry.  His  face  brightened  and  at  once  assumed 
a  pleased,  fawning  expression. 

He  arose  from  his  own  table  and  came  swinging 
himself  over  to  where  Sir  Henry  and  the  Count  sat. 
As  he  came  up  he  said  in  a  nasal,  affected  tone  of 
voice : 

"Glad  to — ah — have  the  pleasure — ah — of  meet- 
ing you  again,  Lord  Eroslove.  I  met  you  last  week 
— ah — remember,  at  the  Marlborough  Club,  don't  you 
know?" 

"Delighted  to  see  you  again,  Sir,"  replied  Sir 
Henry,  rising  and  at  the  same  time  trying  to  recall 
the  little  fellow,  and  find  a  name  that  would  fit  him. 

Sir  Henry  felt  compelled  to  introduce  the  Count 
to  the  stranger  and  without  stopping  to  think  what 
a  predicament  he  would  get  himself  into,  said : 

"Allow  me  to  present  you,  sir,  to  Count  Antig- 
nolio.  Mr. — ara — ah — pray  excuse  me,  sir,  but 
what  is  your  name1?"  But  the  last  part  of  the 
sentence  was  lost  to  the  well-filled,  happy  Count,  who 


134  Miss  Incognita 

had  .at  once  seized  the*.young  fellow's  hand,  exclaim- 
ing: 

"Delighted  to  meet  you,  Meester  Ara-ah;  delight- 
ed, I  azzure  you,  zir." 

"Count  Antignolio,  I  assure  you — ah — my  dear 
sir — that  I  am  more  than  delighted — ah — .to  have  the 
honah  to  know  you,  sir.  I  observe,  Lord  Eroslove, 
that  like  myself,  in  the — ah — multitude  of  your  ac- 
quaintances, you  forget  names.  Allow  me,  sir,  to — 
aw — refresh  your  memory.  I  am  Archie  Snob,  once 
of  Americah,  sir,  but  now  of  London." 

"Oh,  yes,  excuse  me,  Mr.  Snob.  Glad  to  have 
you  correct  my  slip  of  memory.  Count,  this  is  Mr. 
Snob  of  America." 

"Now  of  London,  sir,  Count,"  broke  in  Mr.  Snob. 

"Glad  to  meet  you,  Meester  Snobz.  When  do  you 
return  to  America?" 

"I  cawn't  say,  Count.  I  go  over  now  and  then 
to  look  into  me  affairs — ah — and  then  return.  I  no 
longer  live  there,  yon  know.  I  have  reawlly  gotten 
so  I  cawn't  stand  American  crudities." 

"We  hope  to  see  you  again  Mr.  Snob,  and  am 
sorry  we  are  compelled  to  leave  so  soon,  but  other 
engagements  press  us.  Bid  you  good-evening  sir." 

"Good-evening,  Lord  Eroslove;  good-evening 
Count  Antignolio — 0 — ah,  I  am  more  than  delighted 
at  this  unexpected  pleasure  of  meeting  you — and  of 
knowing  you,  my  dear  Count.  I  must  see  you  both 
again." 

He  had  followed  them  to  the  door  when  the  Count 
turned  and  said: 


In  England  135 

"Mee  London  mansion,  Master  Snobz,  eez  2000 
Albert  Road,  adjoining  Preemrose  Heell  Park.  Hope, 
to  have  you  call." 

"With  the  greatest  of  joy,  Count." 

As  they  walked  off  the  Count  said  to  Sir  Henry: 

"You  see,  bee  may  haf  mooney,  eend  would  play 
a  la  baccarat." 

"Good  idea,  Count — excellent !  He  will  doubtless 
be  a  good  sucker.  How  gracefully  he  affected  to 
know  me.  I'll  swear  I  never  laid  eyes  on  him  be- 
fore." 

Mr.  Archie  Snob  was  well  named. 

He  fawned  and  ogled  most  affectedly  on  any 
person  or  any  class  who,  in  his  narrow  vision,  were 
superior,  or  endowed  witb  hollow  greatness,  or  en- 
cumbered with  an  empty  title.  For  a  title  was  really 
his  conception  of  the  Deity. 


136  Miss  Incognita 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

SEALED    WITH   AN    OATH 

AN  author  who  is  true  to  his  art  must  realize  that 
that  it  is  not  his  province  to  portray  the  characters 
and  conduct  of  moral  or  social  ideas  only,  but  of  peo- 
ple as  they  really  are,  and  as  they  think,  feel  and  act 
^n  the  course  of  human  events.  It  is  the  duty  and 
work  of  the  artist  in  any  department  to  be  true  to 
nature,  and  to  work  and  build  with  nature's  facts 
and  materials  and  conditions  as  she  has  given  them 
to  him. 

The  greatest  and  wisest  artist  is  one  who  studies 
nature,  and  imitates  her  realities  by  putting  them 
on  canvas  or  in  marble  or  in  music  or  in  words  as 
nature  has  furnished  them  and  fashioned  them.  We 
emphasize  the  good  by  making  evil  abhorrent — as  the 
artist  brings  out  his  "high-lights"  by  giving  them 
prominence  upon  his  dark  background. 

Viola  Hanover,  though  now  but  eighteen,  well 
knew  even  the  higher  branches  in  the  curriculum  of 
a  woman's  part  in  the  tender,  passionate  art  of  love- 
making.  Her  mother  had  died  when  she  was  young, 
so  that  she  had  always  lacked  her  shielding  advice 
and  care.  She  Lad  no  sisters,  and  her  father  and 
brother  had  done  but  little  to  check  the  ardor  of  her 
susceptible  heart  prior  to  their  death.  Since  she  had 
been  under  the  guardianship  of  the  Earl  of  Little' 


Sealed  With  an  Oath  137 

field — who  was  himself  young  and  unmarried — 
neither'  he  nor  the  governess  provided  to  instruct  her 
had  exercised  but  little  influence  over  her;  and  the 
Earl,  by  his  constant  love-making  to  her,  had  im- 
maturely  and  unduly  excited  the  susceptible  "tender 
passion"  in  her  maiden  bosom.  He  doubtless  would 
have  won  her  but  for  the  early  and  ardent  passion 
which  she  had  years  before  conceived  for  Henry 
Eroslove. 

Her  nature  was  like  the  tumultuous  forces  of  a 
cataract,  into  which  had  been  massed  a  momentum 
which  was  irresistable. 

If  it  were  controlled  for  a  time  it  burst  forth 
sooner  or  later  with  tenfold  impetuosity. 

Then,  too,  this  wayward  and  overwrought  heart 
had  been  moulded  in  the  l;aat  of  a  social  environment 
which  was  not  synonymous  with  the  temperature  of 
icy  chastity  and  snowy  virtue.  She  mingled  with 
women  of  that  set,  many  of  whom  professed  to  live 
above  the  moral  pressure  of  that  social  atmosphere 
which  moulds  the  prudish  conventionalities  and  shapes 
the  formal  customs  of  the  middle  and  lower  strata 
of  womankind. 

Many  of  Viola's  associates,  models  and  seniors, 
were  S'omen  who  would  say :  "We  understand  the 
meaning  and  purpose  of  superstitions  in  love  as  well 
as  in  religion.  Laws  and  customs,  restrictions  and 
rules  were  made  for  the  governed  and  not  for  the 
governors.  We  tell  tales  and  ghost  stories  to  children 
and  little-grown-up-folk  to  quiet  them,  get  them  to 
sleep,  and  keep  them  from  troubling  us  and  interfer- 


1 38  Miss  Incognita 

ing  with  our  pleasures.  We,  who  control,  must  not 
be  controlled.  We,  who  -bridle,  must  not  be  bridled. 
We,  who  put  the  harness  on  others,  are  not  fools 
enough  to  put  it  on  ourselves !  Love  was  made  for 
women,  as  well  as  for  men." 

An  epicurean  philosophy  is  necessarily  a  philoso- 
phy of  sensation.  Either  men  or  women  who  look 
upon  this  life  as  the  beginning  and  end  of  our  exis- 
tence are  very  apt  to  drift  into  lives  of  sensualism. 

If  sensation  is  the  beginning  and  end  of  life, 
then  the  gratification  of  the  senses  should  be  the  pur- 
pose of  life,  for  through  the  domain  of  the  senses 
alone  opens  out  the  tempting  avenues  of  pleasure  and 
joy.  Hence,  the  gratification  of  love,  or  more  poet- 
ically speaking,  "the  tender  passion"  is  the  very 
elysium  of  all  sensual  gratification  and  joy. 

To  induct  her  within  the  veil,  and  initiate  her  into 
the  enchantments  of  those  hidden  mysteries  was  the 
undertaking  Sir  Henry  laid  out  to  do.  He  had  ay- 
ways  determined  to  marry  her,  for  he  thought  he 
loved  her  beyond  his  power  to  express,  and  it  was 
this  very*  excess  of  love  that  made  them  both  weak, 
and  .made  him  determine  to  enjoy  her  love  at  all  haz- 
ards. 

During  the  happy  months  of  this  year's  glad  sum- 
mer, autumn  and  winter,  he  wooed  her  to  explore 
with  him  the  winding  ways,  the  flowered  paths,  the 
cool,  scented  groves  and  damp  shades,  the  enchanted 
retreats  and  fairy  recesses  of  the  "sacred  grove  of 
Daphne,"  which  surrounds  the  temple  dedicated  to 
that  rapturous  twain,  Venus  and'Appollo.  She  was 


Sealed  With  an  Oath  139 

not  forward  in  her  steps,  nor  rash  in  her  devotion, 
as  she  shyly  allowed  faim  to  conduct  her  amid  the 
beauties  of  this  enchanted  ground. 

To  them  the  sacred  grove  of  Daphne  was  Primrose 
Hill  Park.  The  temple,  which  'he  had  planned  yet 
to  enter  with  Viola,  was  the  Eroslove  mansion,  now 
presided  over  by  those  patron  saints  of  his,  Count 
and  Countess  Antignolio.  Rash  lovers,  who  love 
deeply,  ought  either  to  marry,  or  learn  before  it  is 
too  late  to  temper  the  ardor  of  their  affections  with 
the  cool  judgment  of  prudence  and  common  sense. 

Late  one  afternoon  in  the  month  of  September, 
when  the  heat  of  summer  mingling  with  the  breath  of 
approaching  winter,  had  by  their  coalition  formed 
an  air  of  cool  and  fresh  deliciousness,  Sir  Henry  and 
Viola  were  promenading  in  the  park,  for  they  were 
often  together,  notwithstanding  the  interdiction  of  her 
guardian.  Her  arm  was  passed  through  his.  and  over 
his  hand  she  carelessly  let  rest  the  tips  of  her  fingers, 
which  now  and  then  played  a  little  tattoo  or  ditty 
on  the  surface  of  his  skin.  They  walked  up  and  down 
the  avenue  of  water  oaks  extending  from  the  mansion 
out  to  Primrose  Hill  Road.  In  a  dainty  box  fastened 
to  one  ot  the  trees  a  pair  of  pigeons  were  building  a 
nest — and  as  the  male  worked,  he  cooed  to  his  mate, 
and  <now  and  then  caressed  her  with  his  beak,  and 
passed  his  neck  over  hers  in  an  affeotionate  embrace. 
She.  would  return  his-  love  by  returning  to  him  her 
feathered  breast,  or  by  answering  hi"  ^lain^ive  note 
with  a  tender  moan. 


140  Miss  Incognita 

Observing  their  undisturbed  enjoyment  of  each 
other,  Sir  Henry  said: 

"The  birds  of  the  air  have  nests  and  love,  but — " 

"But  what,  Henry?"  asked  Viola. 

"But  we  have  none." 

"I  am  sure  you  would  not  be  contented  to  settle 
down  into  a  nest." 

"That  depends,  dear  Viola,  on  the  one  who  occu- 
pied the  nest  with  me." 

"Suppose  it  were  If 

"In  that  case  there  would  be  three  of  us,  for  joy 
would  take  up  its  abode  with  us." 

"For  how  long?" 

"Birds,  you  know,  Viola,  mate  by  the  season;  why 
then  ask  me  how  long?" 

"Then  another  season,  what?" 

"Love  must  decide  that  for  us.  Would  you  be 
content  to  nest  without  love?" 

"No,  I  would  not.  But  don't  you  think  love 
would  always  be  with  us  and  be  one  of  us?" 

"Ah,  Viola,  these  minutes  are  parpdise  and  tihe 
hours  heaven  to  me.  Oh,  Viola,  if  wooing  your  love 
has  been  so  sweet  all  these  years,  who  can  describe  the 
joy  of  having  it,  and  reveling  in  it?  Such  happiness 
can  only  be  felt  and  dreamed  of,  and  then  left  un- 
uttered !"  * 

The  hour  growing  late,  .they  left  the  park  and 
walked  into  the  house.  Sir  Henry  lingered  there 
awhile,  and  as  he  bade  his  love  good-night  said  to  her : 

"Tomorrow,  sweet  one,  I  will  see  you  at  the  home 
of  the  Countess.  It  will  seem  long  till  then." 


Sealed  With  an  Oath  141 

From  the  Hanover  mansion  Sir  Henry  hurried  to 
his  'own,  now  occupied  by  the  Count  and  the  Countess. 
He  went  into  the  room  of  'the  Countess,  exclaiming: 
"She  will  come,  Countess,  to  visit  you  for  a  week." 
"Yis,  Zir  Hinry,  and  you  are  so  happee." 
"Yes,  Countess,  the  impotent  tongue  shall  not  by 
attempted  utterance  defile  the  sentiment  of  my  heart ! 
The  pink  chamber,  you  remember,  Countess,  shall  be 
hers.  Have  you  tihe  wealth  of  roses  there  I  ordered? 
Good!  Has  the  artist,  Pietre,  I  sent  for,  adorned  the 
bed  anew  with  those  rare  furnishings'?  Then  let  it 
be  done  in  the  morning.  Each  night  let  the  bath  of 
odoriferous  -water  and  vapor  be  prepared.  The 
lights  must  be  dim,  and  full  of  rare  color  in  the  room. 
My  room,  Countess,  can  remain  as  it  is.  Adjoining 
that,  arrange  our  banquet  room.  I  have  given  my 
bu/tler  instructions  as  to  its  furnishings.  Remember, 
Countess  I" 

"Yis,  Zir  Hinry." 

"Oh !  How  I  love  her,  my  life,  my  all !  But  by 
all  the  gods  of  Homer,  to  think  how  she  must  love 
me  to  risk  all!" 


There  are  some  things  a  logician  does  not  attempt, 
and  one  is  to  define  a  definition.  There  are  some 
things  a  geometrician  does  not  attempt,  and  one  is  to 
square  a  circle.  There  are  some  things  a  scientist 
does  not  attempt,  and  one  is  to  deny  a  fact.  And 
one  thing  there  is  that  no  poet  or  writer  will  essay 
to  do,  and  that  is  to  describe  and  portray  the  wealth 


142  Miss  Incognita 

of  a  woman's  love  when  first  given  to  a  lover,  who 
has  won,  or  cheated  her  out  of,  her  heart. 

Viola  was  a  woman  who,  when  her  nature  was 
stirred,  gave  her  love  to  her  lover  with  lavish  expen- 
diture. One  has  seen  the  sun  when  it  poured  upon 
the  earth  magnificent  floods  of  glory,  in  superabun- 
dance, apeparing  to  waste  its  treasure  of  light,  color 
and  heat — so  was  Viola's  love  given  to  Sir  Henry. 

One  has  looked  into  the  calm  dome  of  the  sky  on 
nights  clear  and  cold  and  still  as  death,  and  the 
countless  stars  seemed  to  have  multiplied  their  infini- 
ty of  number,  being  and  glory — thus  was  Viola's  love 
for  Sir  Henry.  One  has  seen  the  black  clouds  keep 
rising  and  overspreading  the  dark  heavens  and  con- 
tinuing to  pour  down  their  deluges  of  water  upon 
the  earth,  when  its  surface  and  arteries  of  creeks  and 
rivers  were  already  flooded  to  overflowing — even  so 
was  Viola's  passion  given  to  Sir  Henry. 


The  Denouement  143 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

THE    DENOUEMENT. 

IT  is  now  the  month  of  April,  when  the  promise 
of  spring  begins  its  fulfillment  in  beautifying  the 
earth,  brightening  the  sun,  and  gladdening  the  skies. 
That  wonderful  miracle  we  call  life  is  beginning  to 
manifest  itself  in  all  the  forms  and  forces  of  nature. 
Mother  Earth  is  receiving  the  amorous  kisses  of  Father 
Sun,  and  all  their  myriad  children  are  astir  for  love, 
work  or  play. 

In  her  luxurious  boudoir  upstairs  in  the  mansion 
occupied  by  Count  and  Countess  Antignolio  reclines 
happy,  beautiful  Viola.  Hence  she  has  spent  much 
of  her  time  on  the  pressing  invitation  of  the  Countess, 
and  has  been  much  in  the  company  of  her  lover. 

She  is  now  in  a  state  of  anxious  expectancy,  when 
Lord  Eroslove  enters  the  room.  She  quickly  rises  to 
meet  him,  exclaiming: 

"Oh,  Henry,  I  have  such  good  news  for  you!  You 
never  could  guess  it !" 

"No,  my  dearest  sweetheart !"  he  replies,  taking 
her  in  his  arms  and  kissing  her.  "Out  with  it." 

"Well,  what  do  you  think !  Something  has  caused 
a  great  change  in  my  guardian.  He  has  now  given 
his  consent  for  me  to  marry  you..  After  receiving 
the  mail  yesterday  by  the  latest  steamer  from  Ameri- 
ca, he  got  certain  news  which  seemed  to  interest  him 


1 44  Miss   Incognita 

very  much.  He  appeared  to  go  through  a  hard  bat- 
tle trying  to  decide  something.  He  sent  certain 
papers  he  had  received  by  this  mail  to  his  city  at- 
torney and  wrote  him  a  note.  I  observed  all  this  for 
I  was  in  the  library  with  him.  After  a  little  while 
he  received  a  reply  which  I  afterwards  found  care- 
lessly lying  on  his  desk.  When  he  had  read  this  note, 
which  excited  him  very  much,  he  turned  to  me  and 
casually  announced  that  he  had  decided  to  give  his 
consent  to  our  marriage.  Oh,  Harry,  I  was  over- 
come with  joy,  and  felt  like  falling  upon  his  neck 
in  the  ecstaey  of  my  delight!"  Her  beaming  eyes 
were  lifted  to  Lord  Eroslove's  face,  expecting  to  see 
in  his  countenance  the  same  revelation  of  joy  which 
her  own  heart  was  experiencing.  But  instead  of  out- 
bursts of  joy,  she  saw  his  brow  contract  and  a  great 
dimple  sink  its  depths  in  the  center,  of  his  ohin,  as  he 
eagerly  asked: 

"Viola,   have   you   the   lawyer's   note1?" 
"Yes,  Henry,  here  it  is,"  and  as  she  offered  him 
the  paper,  he  grabbed  it  as  a  starving  man  would  a 
morsel  of  bread.     Its  contents  were  as  follows : 

"To  THE  EARL  OF  LITTLEFIELD  : 

.  "HONORED  SIR  :  I  have  examined  the  papers  you 
sent,  giving  the  result  of  the  work  of  our  detective 
in  ferreting  out  the  history  of  one  Dr.  Dumas,  I 
think  the  case  is  complete.  Under  the  terms  of  the 
settlement  of  this  large  personal  estate  by  the  ances- 
tor of  this  party,  you  can  accomplish  your  purpose 
as  well  by  allowing  this  marriage  to  take  place  as  by 


The  Denouement  145 

the  death  of  this  heir.     This  estate  will  revert  as  well 
by  reason  of  conviction  for  felony  as  by  death. 
"Most  respectfully  yours, 

"JEROME  JEFFRIES, 

"Counselor,  etc." 

The  reading  of  this  note  caused  a  greater  agita- 
tion in  the  mind  and  face  of  Lord  Eroslove  than  the 
recital  of  events  by  Viola  had  done. 

"So  my  little  girl  has  won  the  Earl  over  to  her 
side,  has  she1?" 

"But  pray  tell  me,  Henry,  the  'meaning  of  the 
strange  note  from  that  lawyer?  Why  should  that 
have  caused  such  a  change  in  the  Earl's  feelings 
towards  us?  And  why  did  you  look  so  excited  when 
you  read  it?" 

"Wait;  one  question  at  a  time,  my  darling.  I 
can  hardly  explain  the  Earl's  conduct  unless  he  has 
decided  to  get  him  an  American  heiress,  and  thinks 
now  a  good  time  to  get  rid  of  you — that  is — of — us." 

"Yes,  he  has  good  grounds  to  get  rid  of  me,  for 
he  knows  he  can  never  possess  me.  A  case  of  sour 
grapes,  you  know,  Henry.  But  why  did  you  get  so 
excited  over  it?" 

"Why,  Viola,  you  should  know  anything  excites 
me  which  concerns — our — love,  and  to  think  this 
abominable  guardian  had — 'a — " 

"Yes,  Henry  dear,  it  was*hateful  of  him." 

"Yes,  of  course,"  he  replied  in  an  absent-minded 
way.  He  had  put  off  'this  marriage  week  after 
week  and  month  after  month  on  the  pretext  mainly 


146  Miss  Incognita 

of  bhis  guardia  Vs  objections.  He  had  feared 
consummate  it,  as  much  as  he  loved  Viola  and  de- 
sired her,  and  wished  for  legitimate  offspring,  be- 
lieving that  his  enemy  was  on  his  track,  a,nd  that  it 
would  result  in  his  and  Viola's  ruin,  for  he  knew  that 
the  Earl  would  hesitate  at  no  sacrifice  to  secure  for 
himself  the  valuable  estate  he  so  much  coveted.  Now 
comes  this  terrible  revelation  which  sh.ows  that  his 
enemy  is  indeed  closer  upon  his  heels  than  he  had 
ever  imagined.  Then,  on  the  other  hand,  here  met 
him  face  to  face  the  demands,  the  sacred  demands 
of  Viola.  Her  claims  had  now  passed  the  mere 
pleading  demands  of  love.  Here  were  the  imperative 
commands  of  life,  honor,  posterity,  yea,  everything 
which  a  woman  holds  dear  and  sacred !  Yet  to  mar- 
ry Viola  under  these  circumstances  meant  utter  ruin 
for  both,  for  the  Earl  would  at  once  proceed  to  ex- 
pose and  convict  him. 

On  the  other  hand,  not  to  marry  now  meant  to 
crush  out  all  her  love  for  him.  It  also  would  result 
in  her  ruin  and  degradation,  unless  he  could  protect 
her  by  a  plan  he  had  in  view. 

He  was  in  a  predicament  but  she  was  in  a  worse 
one.  He  had  consulted  his  attorney  and  had  been 
informed  that  his  marriage  in  America,  even  under 
the  professional  name  of  Dr.  Dumas,  would  be  bind- 
ing in  England.  He  had  written  to  an  American  at- 
torney, whom  he  knew  in  New  York  City,  on  this 
point,  and  his  opinion  confirmed  that  of  the  English 
lawyer.  However,  the  American  lawyer  informed  him 


The  Denouement  147 

that  if  he  could  prove  that  the  lady  was  a  confirmed 
lunatic,  he  could  get  a  divorce  from' her. 

But  such  a  proceeding  as  this  would  require  at 
least  two  years,  and  it  was  out  of  the  question  to 
delay  acting  on  the  emergency  at  hand,  even  for  two 
months.  "Oh,"  he  thought,  "what  a  fool  I  was  for 
not  effectually  disposing  of  her  while  I  was  at  it. 
I  could  hare  made  a  corpse  of  her  much  easier  and 
in  much  less  time  than  it  required  to  make  a  luna- 
tic of  her."  But  that  was  too  late  now. 

Two  days  before  this  time  he  had  become  des- 
perate, waiting  to  hear  from  Dr.  Swindle  concerning 
the  condition  of  Mrs.  Dumas,  and  had  cabled  to  him 
as  follows : 

"DR.   SWINDLE,  500V2   Bowery  Place,   Chicago,   DL, 

U.  S.  A. 
"Caible  exact  condition  of  lady.     Be  specific." 

To  which  Swindle  had  sent  this  reply: 

"Lady  reported  improving.    Send  me  $100. 

"SWINDLE." 

Whether  the  abandoned  wife  was  really  improv- 
ing or  was  dead,  he  had  no  way  of  knowing  except 
by  relying  on  his  agent,  whom  he  had  put  in  charge 
of  this  matter.  However,  Swindle  was  of  such  a 
character  that  had  s=he  been  dead  he  would  have  re- 
ported her  alive,  in  order  to  reap  the  reward  of  this 
species  of  his  "practice." 


148  Miss  Incognita 

He  attempted  as  best  he  could  to  carry  on  a  sweet 
and  cheerful  conversation  with  Viola.  He  had  led 
her  back  to  her  seat  on  the  divan,  where  she  now 
reclined  radiant  with  beauty  and  happiness.  Her  joy 
and  her  confidence  in  that  future  blissful  state  which 
she  believed  to  be  just  ahead  of  them,  mocked  and 
stung  him  like  an  adder.  "God!"  he  thought,  "what 
can  I  do1?  How  can  I  break  to  her  this  terrible  dis- 
closure1?" He  was  unusually  tender  to  her.  and  his 
great  love  seemed  to  have  multiplied  itself  tenfold, 
if  that  were  possible.  He  fain  would  caress  her  most 
tenderly,  but  each  time  he  essayed  to  do  so  there 
seemed  to  come  in  between  them  the  pale,  emaciated 
form  and  face  of  the  abandoned  wife,  whom  he  had 
buried  between  the  walls  of  an  insane  asylum.  This 
spectre  would  not  down,  and  kept  saying  to  him : 
"Tell  her!  You  must,  you  Sihall  tell  her,  and  break 
her  heart !" 

Finally,  forcing  a  great  sigh  from  his  breast,  and 
quietly  brushing  a  tear  from  his  eye,  he  said : 

"Viola,  my  darling,  you  remember  last  September 
when  we  staked  everything  on  the  joy  of  our  love, 
I  told  you  that  I  had  a  plan  outside  of  marriage  in 
case — 

"Oh,  my  dear  Henry,"  she  interrupted,  "that  was 
mentioned  then  because  my  guardian  had  not  given 
his  consent  to  our  marriage.  Why,  there  is  no  use 
to  even  think  of  that  now,  when  there  is  nothing  to 
separate  us." 

She  said  this  so  innocently,  and  in  such  a  matter- 


The  Denouement  149 

of-fact  way,  as  though  of  course  it  was  true,  that  it 
smote  him  to  the  heart. 

"But,  dear  Viola,  suppose  there  were  something 
to  still  keep  us  apart?" 

"Oh,  Henry,  don't  speak  of  such  an  impossible 
thing." 

"Yes,  Viola,  my  darling,  there  are  circumstances 
beyond  my  control  which  prevent  the  marriage  taking 
place  now  or  at  any  time  soon." 

"At  any  time  soon!"  she  exclaimed,  rising  from 
the  divan  and  seating  herself  in  a  chair,  her  whole 
body  agitated,  and  her  eyes  now  filling  with  tears. 

"Yes,  it  is  just  that  way,  my  dear.  Oh,  Viola, 
Viola,  do  not  hate  me!  I  cannot  help  it!" 

"It  must  be  some  time  soon  or  never — it  must  be!" 
she  exclaimed,  vehemently,  looking  Sir  Henry  full  in 
the  eye.  She  then  added :  "Were  these  circum- 
stances, which  you  say  are  beyond  your  control, 
in  existence  last  September  when  you  made  the  oath 
to  marry  me?" 

"Yes,  partially  so.  Viola,  but  I  had  every  reason 
to  believe  they  would  be  fully  removed  before  there 
would  be  any  occasion  for  our  marriage.  In  this"  I 
have  been  disappointed,  and  the  disappointment  has 
come  too  late  to  allow  me  time  to  remove  the  trouble. 
There  is  but  one  thing  to  do,  and  I  have  devised  that 
plan  to  be  put  into  effect  in  case  I  cannot  marry  you 
you  in  time.  It  will  protect  you,  Viola,  even  if  it 
does  not  win  back  your  love  to  me." 

"I  will  consent  to  nothing  until  you  first  inform, 
me  fully  of  the  circumstances." 


150  Miss  Incognita 

"But  wait  a  minute,  Viola.  You  said  last  Sep- 
tember that  if  my  plan  which,  I  told  you,  I  even  then 
had  in  mind,  would  not  be  acceptable  to  you,  if  I 
could  not  satisfy  you  of  its  feasibility,  then  in  that 
case  I  would  marry  you.  Now  you  might  like  my 
plan  better  than  our  marriage." 

"But  I  reserved  the  right  to  act  and  choose,  ac- 
cording to  the  dictates  of  my  love,  and  you  swore  you 
would  abide  by  my  decision  and  act  accordingly.  I 
cannot  even  now  decide  on  your  plan,  until  I  know 
what  it  is  that  prevents  you  from  marrying  me." 

"Then,  if  there  is  no  other  alternative,  Viola,  I 
must  tell  you :  /  have  a  living  wife." 

Like  as  when  a  bird  sailing  in  the  buoyant  air, 
with  outstretched  wings,  plumage  and  peth  of  feath- 
ers filled  with  the  spirit  of  the  wind,  is  suddenly 
pierced  by  the  deadly  lead  of  the  huntsman's  fowling 
piece,  and  falls  zigzag  to  the  earth,  limp  and  lifeless 
with  wings  folded  and  plumage  ruffled  and  stained 
with  blood,  even  so  did  the  pierced  and  bleeding  heart 
of  Viola  sink  to  the  depths  within  her  when  this 
deadly  shot  of  this  cruel  huntsman  of  hearts  entered 
her  bosom. 

As  soon  as  Sir  Henry  said  it,  he  saw  that  he  had 
wounded  her,  perhaps  unto  death.  He  knew  that  her 
love  was  dead,  beyond  resurrection. 

She  was  instantly  frantic,  yet  helpless.  She 
wanted  to  cry  aloud  in  the  depths  of  her  misery, 
but  her  throat  was  dry  and  choked.  Several  minutes 
elapsed  before  she  said  a  word,  and  during  this  time 
she  sat  with  her  eyes  closed,  her  head  thrown  back  on 


The  Denouement  151 

the  top  of  the  chair  and  her  hands  hanging  down 
by  her  side. 

"So  you  were  already  married  and  deceived  me, 
and  perjured  yourself  by  swearing  to  do  an  impossible 
thing!  Pray  tell  me  who  and  where  my  companion, 
in  misery  is." 

"She  is  in  an  American  insane  asylum." 

"Would  God  I  could  exchange  places  with  her!" 

Then   she  was   silent,   sitting  with   her  eyes   still 

closed,   and  her  wonderful   heart   scarcely   fluttering 

in  the  cage  of  her  breast.      Sir    Henry    paced    the 

floor,  for  he  was  astonished  at  the  terrible  effect  this 

revelation  seemed  to  have  b»d  on  her.     Then  he  said : 

"I  would  have  told  you  all,  but  she  was  frail  in 

body  and  wrecked  in    health,  and  I  had  no  doubt  but 

that  ere  this  she  would  have  been  laid  in  her  grave. 

Ami  Viola,  I  loved  you  so,  I  feared " 

"Since  I  know  what  I  now  know,  I  would  envy  her 
even  there." 

"You  must  not  despair  and  be  so  cast  down,  Viola, 
I  think  my  plan  will  obviate  all  trouble,  and  finally 
save  us." 

"It  cannot  undo  the  fact  that  you  falsely  wooed 
me,  when  you  had  a  living  wife,  and  had  me  uncon- 
sciously to  wager  my  virtue,  and  the  honor  and 
lineage  of  my  unborn  child  on  the  hazard  of  her 
death.  Did  you  not  know  that  death  never  comes 
when  prayed  for,  but  selects  his  subjects  unawares1? 
Unless  your  plan  suits  me,  I  shall  lay  this  whole 
matter  open  to  my  guardian,  and  he  shall  call  you 
to  account.  You  may  proceed." 


152  Miss  Incognita 

Lord  Eroalove  now  sealed  his  heart  to  all  emo- 
tions, believing  that  it  would  do  him  no  further  good 
to  display  his  feelings,  and  proceeded  to  unfold  his 
plans. 

""Well,  my  plan  is  'to  continue  this  experiment  out 
of  marriage  until  it  is  possible  to  turn  it  into  mar- 
riage, if  such  should  be  your  desire  in  the  future.  To 
do  this  without  hurt  or  injury  to  you  in  any  way, 
I  have  decided  upon  the  following  arrangement : 
Located  seven  hundred  miles  from  the  city  of  New 
York  in  the  Atlantic  is  one  of  the  Bermuda  Islands, 
containing  a  tract  of  two  thousand  acres  which  be- 
longs to  the  Eroslove  estate.  Its  sole  occupants  are 
a  family  of  negroes  and  an  old  Egyptian.  Upon  it  is 
a  neat  cottage,  built  of  white  coral  stone,  which  looks 
like  a  miniature  palace  of  frosted  ice.  Your  guardian 
and  your  friends  know  that  your  health  has  not  been 
vigorous  for  several  months.  I,  as  a  physician — for 
they  all  know  of  my  skill  in  that  profession — and  as 
a  friend  of  the  family,  will  advise  the  sea  and  this 
warm,  bakny  climate.  I  will  offer*  to  go  with  you 
as  your  physician,  and  the  Countess  will  go  as  your 
chaperone.  The  Count  and  Countess  have  already 
signified  their  willingness,  and  approve  heartily  of 
our  plan.  No  one  has  yet  suspected  anything,  ex- 
cept that  your  health  is  impaired.  We  will  sail 
within  a  fortnight.  I  will  keep  up  my  correspondence 
with  my  agent  in  America,  and  should  the  demented 
lady  accommodate  me  by  dying  in  the  meantime,  I 
will  marry  you,  should  this  be  your  desire.  We  will 
remain  in  Bermuda  for  a  year — it  will  be  understood 


The  Denouement  153 

that  a  year  will  be  required  to  restore  you.  The 
Count  and  Countess  can  certify  to  our  marriage 
having  taken  place  in  due  time  after  our  departure 
from  London,  for  the  birth  of  the  child." 

"But  suppose  the  poor,  demented  lady  should 
not  see  fit  to  accommodate  you?"  asked  Viola,  choking 
with  sobs  and  anger. 

"Suppose  I  see  to  it  that  she  does'?  But  if  this 
is  impossible,  then  I  shall  continue  the  experiment 
out  of  marriage,  by  relieving  you  of  the  child,  put- 
ting it  where  neither  of  us  will  ever  hear  of  it  again, 
after  having  arranged  for  its  fortune  and  mainten- 
ance. My  part  in  this  affair  -would  require  me  to  do 
this.  Then  you  will  return  home  restored  to  health 
and  to  your  friends." 

"To  be  frank  with  you,  Henry  Eroslove,  I  will 
say,  had  this  been  the  child  of -unperjured  love,  I,  as 
its  consenting  mother,  would  never  accede  to  your 
plan,  but  would  press  this  token  of  our  rash,  im- 
petuous love  to  my  bosom,  a-nd  face  the  world.  But 
since  you  got  it  -by  perjured  love,  and,  no  doubt,  gave 
it  your  blood  of  rank  deception  and  dishonor,  I  will 
not  own  it,  even  were  it  possible  to  save  its  outward 
honor  by  marriage  with  you.  Wherefore,  I  am  in 
your  hands  until  delivered  of  it." 


1 54  Miss  Incognita 


CHAPTER  XV. 

A  MIRACLE  IN  THE   SEA. 

IT  was  known  in  all  the  high  circles  of  London 
that  Sir  Henry  had  a  thorough  knowledge  cf  medi- 
cine, and  had  practiced  this  profession  for  some 
years  before  the  death  of  his  elder  brother.  This 
fact,  connected  with  th-at  of  the  long  intimacy  and 
friendship  of  his  father  and  Lord  Hanover,  removed 
all  suspicion  as  to  the  real  cause  of  Sir  Henry's  go- 
ing with  Miss  Viola  as  her  medical  adviser.  The  Earl 
of  Littlefield  encouraged  them  to  be  together  as  much 
as  possible,  hoping  to  bring  about  the  marriage  which 
he  so  much  desired  to  take  place,  so  he  made  no  ob- 
jection whatever  to  the  proposed  journey,  bu,t  really 
advised  it. 

When  the  "Ulia"  touched  at  the  Bermudas  some 
days  thereafter,  landing  there  in  the  night,  four  per- 
sons stepped  from  the  ship  in-to  a  small  yacht,  and 
soon  landed  '.at  the  island  known  as  the  ''Eroslove 
Plantation." 

A  more  delightful  retreat  could  not  have  been 
found  anywhere  than  the  "Eroslove  Island"  for  the 
quiet  and  secret  cure  of  the  sick  lady's  malady.  The 
cottage  nestled  in  the  heart  of  an  unbroken  cedar 
forest  of  one  hundred  acres. 

An  old  Egyptian  inhabited  a  little  house  in  the 
rear  of  the  cottage  grounds,  where  he*  had  lived  for 


A  Miracle  in  the  Sea  1 55 

years,  to  take  care  of  the  pla,ce.    He  was  known  as 
"Gymip  the  Conjurer." 

He  had  a  little  bateau  with  which  he  rowed  him- 
self to  the  other  islands  where  he  made  his  living  by 
using  his  arts  on  the  ignorant  black  population.  His 
arts  were  to  cure  diseases  by  some  strange  power 
he  had,  to  drive  away  spells  by  the  use  of  charms 
w'hich  he  sold,  to  tell  -fortunes,  and  to  tattoo  the 
bodies  of  all  who  desired  it  with  quaint  animals  or 
figures  or  sacred  words  of  the  Egyptian  tongue, 
which  always  kept  away  bad  luck  and  evil  spirits. 
He  was  thin  and  wiry,  and  so  much  bent  that  he 
walked  with  a  long  stick,  which  he  grasped  in  the 
middle,  the  upper  part  extending  a  foot  above  his 
head,  and  whittled  to  represent  the  head  of  the  sacred 
Egyptian  crocodile.  He  used  this  stick  when  making 
his  incantations  by  waving  it  weirdly  up  and  down, 
at  the  same  time  uttering  a  low  monotonous  chant. 
His  copper-colored  skin  was  parched  and  wrinkled. 
His  small  eves  were  yellow  as  saffron  and  almost 
hidden  by  his  white,  overhanging,  busy  eyebrows.  His 
head  was  covered  by  long,  unkempt,  white  hair,  which 
always  waved  with  the  wind  like  a  iattered  flag  in 
the  air.  He  wore  no  hat  or  other  covering  on  his 
head.  He  had  associated  with  the  negroes  on  the 
islands  so  much  that,  in  attempting  to  speak  English 
he  used  their  broken  brogue. 

We  get  some  idea  who  he  is  by  a  conversation 
which  took  place  between  him  and  Lord  Eroslove  a 
few  days  after  the  arrival  of  the  party.  Lord  Eros- 
love  called  one  night  to  see  him  in  his  cabin. 


156  Miss  Incognita 

"Well,  Gymp,  I  see  you  have  not  forgotten  me." 

"No,  master;  I  would  er  knowed  yer  anywhar  by 
de  eye  and  de  chin.  I  recollects  well  de  night  when 
you  and  your  father  brought  me  heah,  and  I  taught 
you  how  to  bring  on  de  'sleep  of  Isis.' " 

"Yes,  Gymip,  yes;  birt  don't  you  call  me  master — 
you  are  uny  master.  You  are  wise  Gymp,  wise  above 
many  men,  who  are  called  great.  What  you  taught 
me  in  secret  and  under  oath  will  one  day  become  one 
of  the  wonders,  and  then  one  of  the  sciences  of  the 
world." 

"Let  me  ask  you,  Master  Henry,  if  you  have  kep' 
de  oaith  you  tuk,  ter  keep  de  secrets  I  taught  you, 
and  ter  use  dem  only  fur  goad  and  not  fur  evil. 
From  some  things  I  hab  seen  since  you  come  heah  I 
feah " 

"Now,  Gymp,  don't  get  suspicious,  an'd  lose  con- 
fidence in  me.  You  know  our  eyes  often  deceive  us. 
The  lady  here  with  me  is  a  patient  of  mine  with 
whom  I  am  traveling — 

"Yes — but,  Sir  Henry,  who  gave  dis  lady  de 
malady  V 

"In  the  order  of  nature,  Gymp,  people  get  sick, 
and— 

"Be  sure,  Sir  Henry,  if  you  haf  broken  de  oath, 
you  will  die  by  the  power,  the  awful  power,  ob  dis 
art." 

"Tut,  tut,  Gymp,  I  am  not  afraid.  Have  you 
learned  anything  new  about  it,  which  I  ought  to 
know  ?" 

"No — nothing — dat — you — ought — ter — know — 'but 


A  Miracle  in  the  Sea  157 

— I  say  beware,  beware,  I  see  de  future — beware!" 
replied  the  old  Egyptian,  shaking  his  shaggy  head, 
muttering  to  himself,  and  walking  abruptly  and  slow- 
ly away,  leaving  Lord  Eroslove  alone  in  his  cabin. 

Some  years  before  the  death  of  Lord  Eroslove,  the 
father  of  Sir  Henry,  he  was  traveling  in  Egypt, 
and  Sir  Henry  was  with  him.  There  they  met  Gymp, 
and  persuaded  him  to  travel  with  them  as  a  guide. 
They  liked  him  so  much  that  they  persuaded  him  to 
come  with  them  to  live  on  this  island,  and  take  care 
of  it.  While  together  at  that  time.  Sir  Henry  had 
learned  from  Gymp  those  secrets  which  he  had  used 
under  the  name  of  "Vibrations,"  and  which  he  had 
employed  as  we  have  seen  in  this  narrative.  No 
doubt  Gymp  had  learned  these  truths  in  Egypt, 
where  they  had  been  known  and  practiced  for  cen- 
turies, long  before  the  time  when  Mesmer  first  in- 
troduced them  in  Europe  and  Dr.  Braid  in  England. 

On  another  part  of  the  island  was  a  cleared  field 
in  cultivation,  and  here  in  a  two-room  stone  hurt  lived 
a  colored  family  who  tilled  the  soil  about  the  house. 

The  little  island  was  almost  at  all  times  made  the 
toy  of  the  breezes  from  the  sea,  and  bet/ween  the  whis- 
pered murmurings  of  the  cedars  rocking  to  and  fro, 
and  the  low  moaning  of  the  ocean,  it  seemed  to  serve 
the  purpose  of  a  basso  key  of  some  gigantic  organ. 

This  whispering  of  the  cedars  and  this  moaning 
of  the  sea  was  incessant.  And  when  the  tide  came 
in  and  the  tumultuous  water  flayed  its  great  serpen- 
tine body  against  the  sprigs  and  turrets  and  sharp 
knives  of  the  coral  reef  (which  guarded  the  island 


158  Miss  Incognita 

like  an  embattled  wall  rising  out  of  the  hostile  waves) 
the  low  moan  of  the  once  placid  sea  would  be  changed 
inlto  the  fierce  fury  and  resounding  din  of  a  mighty 
battle,  as  though  the  angry  giant  of  the  ocean  was 
ben-t  on  reclaiming  its  lost  estate,  and  was  seeking  to 
destroy  the  little  white  intruder  who  had  so  rashly 
trespassed  on  its  domain. 

Now  and  then  storms  came,  alnd  mad  wfinde 
wreaked  their  vengeful  wrath  upon  the  little  island, 
and  dark  clouds  arose,  which,  sinking  their  black 
base  into  the  sea,  sucked  up  the  lower  waters  into 
the  misty  air,  and  then  poured  their  liquid  fury  upon 
the  little  coral  trespasser,  meanwhile  piercing  it  with 
the  lightning's  keen  cimeter  and  bomlbarding  it  with 
the  artillery  of  the  thunders.  The  war  of  the  ele- 
ments would  be  followed  by  the  tranquility  of  peace, 
when  the  benign  sun  would  bless  the  island  with  its 
glow  of  glory,  and  fill  the  soil  with  a  wealth  of  energy 
and  heat,  and  the  white  sand  and  the  coral  rocks 
would  sparkle  with  joy.  Then  the  seeds  would  come 
out  of  their  hiding  place,  and  the  flowers  would  lift 
up  their  heads  and  smile  at  the  sky. 

Thus,  between  sunshine  and  shadow,  between 
storm  and  calm,  between  tide  and  ebb,  without  as 
well  as  within  themselves,  the  four  visitors  to  the 
island  spen't  their  time  for  the  next  year.  Sir  Henry 
had  little  eanoes  and  a  small  fishing  smack  made, 
and  during  a  part  of  each  fair  and  quiet  day  they 
rowed  aJbout  and  fished  in  the  winding  channels 
meandering  among  the  reefy  forests.  Sometimes  the 
party  would  all  go  together,  and  at  such  times  the 


A  Miracle  in  the  Sea  159 

vivacious  nature  and  chatter  of  the  Count  and  Coun- 
tess evoked  merriment  and  laughter.  On  other  days 
Sir  Henry  would  beg  Viola  until  she  would  go  alone 
with  him.  He  had  for  her  a  soft  cushioned  seat 
with  a  back  to  it  in  a  light  canoe.  She  would  sit  and 
gaze  into  the  water  or  away  off  into  the  dim,  hazy 
distance  aibove  the  waves,  as  though  she  was  attempt- 
ing to  find  out  the  veiled  secrets  of  the  future,  while 
he  would  row  the  canoe,  gazing  meanwhile  into  her 
face  as  if  he  were  trying  to  fathom  the  secrets  of 
her  mind  and  heart. 

When  Sir  Henry  and  Viola  were  together  they 
talked  but  little.  Before  he  had  deceived  her,  or 
rather,  before  she  discovered  how  he  had  perjured 
himself  in  order  .to  enjoy,  and  then  ruin,  her— they 
were  like  two  birds  making  each  other  merry  ir  the 
springtime.  Now  all  this  was  changed. .  An  air  of 
solitude  surrounded  her  and  he  saw  her  as  from  afar 
off.  He  often  tried  to  get  close  to  her  and  somewhat 
renew  old  loves  and  ties,  but  as  he  approached,  she, 
like  a  mirage,  sank  further  and  further  away.  She 
bore  the  weight  of  her  impending  catastrophe  with 
such  fortitude  that  his  admiration  of  her  strength 
and  courage  of  mind  and  heart- was  more  and  more 
excited. 

She  would  punish  him  by  showing  him  how  she 
could  bear  the  reverses  of  love,  even  when  it  had  been 
rendered  accursed  by  his  perjured  ignominy.  Oh, 
how  he  suffered,  when  he  thought  of  her  former  deep, 
tender  love  for  him,  which  he  had  destroyed,  and 


160  Miss  Incognita 

which  he  feared  and  believed  she  had  buried  forever 
out  of  his  sight. 

Day  by  day  the  gloomy  depths  of  her  quiet  eyes 
haunted  him  and  reproved  him.  Her  silent  tongue, 
which  seldom  spoke  to  him,  lashed  him  with  worse 
castigations  than  the  scolding  tongue  of  a  mad,  slan- 
derous shrew. 

Thus  the  weeks  sped  by — she  in  quiet  dignity 
awaiting  the  day  of  her  deliverance;  he,  goaded  by 
remorse,  reflecting  on  his  past  abuse  of  love,  and 
racking  his  brain  to  find  ways  to  make  future  amends- 

Hence  he  grew  kinder  and  more  tender  to  her, 
but  she  changed  not.  As  a  bird  learns  to  pit  or  flit 
quietly  in  its  cage,  without  beating  its  head  against 
the  wire,  so  she  seemed  to  have  learned  to  'endure 
him.  He  would  open  the  door  and  attempt  to  coax 
her  out,  to  flit  with  him  again  in  the  realm  of  their 
old  affections,  but  she  noticed  him  not.  He  worked 
on  her  feelings,  in  quiet  way,  and  had  the  Countess 
intercede  for  him,  but  all  to  no  avail. 

Finally  he  felt  that  he  could  endure  it  no  longer. 
So  one  day  in  the  month  of  July  he  begged  her  to 
walk  with  him  under  the  cool  cedars  to  a  lovely  re- 
treat near  the  beach  a  short  distance  from  the  cot- 
tage. The  location  where  they  stopped  would  have 
made  a  delightful  trysting  place  for  the  most  ardent 
of  lovers. 

Here  he  pleaded  his  love  and  attempted  to  draw 
her  into  a  conversation,  but  she  remained  listless, 
gazing  out  over  the  distant  expanse  of  the  sea. 

He  took  her  soft  hand  in  his.     She  drew  it  from 


A  Miracle  in  the  Sea  161 

him.  He  seized  it  again  and  kissed  it  several  times 
in  quick  succession,  and  then  let  it  fall;  when  he  had 
done  this  lie  said  in  a  low,  earnest  tone: 

"Viola,  I  beg  you  to  forgive  the  wrong  I  have 
done  you.  I  have  been  \vicked  and  selfish.  Oh, 
Viola,  forgive  and  love  me!" 

"Sir  Henry,  forgiveness  does  not  remove  such 
wrong.  I  never  forgive  until  the  wrong  has  been 
undone  and  removed.  Forgiveness  otherwise  were 
but  a  hollow  mockery  of  justice.  Nature  does  not 
forgive,  but  carries  out  in  all  cases  her  inexorable 
sentence.  My  case  is  one  instructive  illustration." 

"Viola,  you  must  forgive  and  love  me.  I  have 
loved  you  more  for  the  past  two  months  than  even 
in  the  honeymoon  of  our  passion." 

"Sir  Henry,  I  can  neither  love  nor  forgive  you ! 
When  I  am  delivered  of  you  and  yours,  you  shall 
be  to  me  but  a  stranger.  I  could  forgive  many 
wrongs,  perhaps,  'but  when  my  trusted  lover  once 
assassinates  my  love,  taking  advantage  of  his  own 
dark  night  of  falsehood  to  do  it,  I  can  never  do  other- 
wise than  abhor  him  as  he  deserves." 

He  continued  to  press  his  unavailing  suit  until 

one  day,  in  August,  the  Countess  called 
him  and  the  Count  aside,  and  in  a  low,  excited  man- 
ner said  something  to'  them.  Sir  Henry  sent  the 
Count  hurridly  away  on  an  errand,  and  he  went 
within  the  cottage,  the  Countess  following  him.  Very 
soon  a  physician  from  an  adjoining  island  came  and 
was  shown  into  the  cottage. 

The  next  -day  at  noou  when  the  Count  returned 


162  Miss  Incognita 

from  the  main  island  where  he  had  spent  the  night, 
Sir  Henry  met  him  down  in  the  cedar  grove.  The 
Count  noticed  that  his  face  looked  pale  and  exhausted 
but  his  eyes  were  beaming.  The  Count  spoke  first, 
saying: 

"Viat  ees  eet,  Zir  Heenryf 

"We  arel-ix  on  the  island  now,  Count.  There 
are  two  of  them !  The  finest  boy  and  girl  you  ever 
saw  in  your  life." 

"Mine  Got !  you  speak  a  joke!" 

"As  true,  Count,  as  one  and  one  are  two." 

"You  look  zat  proud,  Zir  Heenry,  az  eef  you 
been  dere  fader!" 

"I  feel  so,  Count;  and  in  the  face  of  these  two 
magnificent  facts,  I  don't  deny  my  responsibility." 

"How  ees  ze  muther?" 

Physically,  doing1  well,  otherwise  in  the  depths 
of  melancholy.  You  are  a  good  errand  boy,  Count; 
the  doctor  and  the  nurses  arrived  in  good  tin?",  and 
are  very  satisfactory." 

"Zat  ees  good.     I  rejoice  over  eet." 

It  is  'one  of  the  great  facts  in  nature  that,  when 
a  man  for  the  first  time  realizes  that  he  occupies  the 
proud  (position  and  wears  the  exalted  title,  of  father, 
he  feels  a  thrill  of  grandeur  swelling  up  within  him 
that  almost  lifts  him  off  his  feet;  and  if  it  does  not 
cause  actual  leviation,  it  at  least  increases  the  hap- 
py man's  statue  several  inches.  Sir  Henry's  was  in- 
creased by  two  inches  at  a  minimum.  The  fact  of 
fatherhood  does  more.  It  makes  a  true  man  feel 
more  important  in  the  order  of  nature  than  ever  be- 


A  Miracle  in  the  Sea  163 

fore.  He  realizes  the  sublime  sentiment  that  he  is 
a  creator,  a  co-worker  with  the  great  Creative  Cause 
in  nature.  For  the  act  of  love  is  the  only  one  in 
the  domain  of  man's  power  which  the  Creator  en- 
dows with  His  own  creative  force. 

The  father  for  the  first  time  feels  a  tenderness  in 
his  heart  for  all  creatures,  which  he  never  experienced 
before.  He  fondles  a  little  tot,  wihich  previously  he 
would  have  almost  kicked  out  of  his  way.  He  almost 
worships  little  wondering  eyes  and  chubby  cheeks 
and  condescends  to  kiss  and  caress  a  little  child. 

He  experiences  an  adoration  and  respect  for  wom- 
an which  he  never  thought  possible  before.  To  con- 
jugal love  he  links  much  of  the  holy  sentiment  he 
used  to  feel  for  his  own  mother.  Woman,  who  must 
enact  the  sad,  though  wonderful,  drama  and  tragedy 
of  birth — to  perform  which  she  must  go  down  alone 
into  "the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death" — ought  to 
be  almost  deified  by  every  man  who  has  a  heart  within 
him  as  big  as  the  rim  of  a  thimble. 

So  from  the  day  Sir  Henry  realized  he  had  become 
a  father,  he  was  a  changed  man.  For  the  time,  life 
took  on  a  different  perspective  to  him.  One  of  the 
results  was  he  began  to  love  Viola  more  deeply  and 
sacredly  than  ever,  if  that  were  possible.  He  had 
seen  her  look  death  in  the  face  for  twenty-four  hours, 
with  a  calm,  uncomplaining  fortitude  that  would  have 
put  to  shame  the  courage  of  the  bravest  of  the  Spar- 
tans; and  he  realized  she  had  been  compelled  to  do 
this  as  the  result  of  her  wealth  of  love  for  him — 
and  of  his  deception! 


164  Miss  Incognita 

How  indulgent  and  true  she  had  been  to  him,  and 
how  false  he  had  been  to  her!  He  would  make  all 
amends,  he  would  win  back  her  love,  he  'would  make 
her  happy  with  him  and  their  children !  Then  he 
would  think  of  that  awful  impossibility  that  stood 
everlastingly  in  his  way !  That  pale,  spectral,  invalid 
woman  holding  onto  her  life  between  the  walls  of  an 
insane  asylum !  "Oh,  Heaven !  My  children !  My 
children !  Would  God  their  mother  were  my  wife ! 
Why  doth  the  accursed  law  of  man  decree  against 
love !"  he  would  cry  out  in  his  agony  of  heart.  Then 
must  he  lose  her  and  the  beautiful  children  with 
which  she  had  blessed  him !  Must  he  give  up  his  chil- 
dren, this  sure  perpetuation  of  his  father's  house  and 
of  his  title?  Why  doesn't  Swindle  give  him  some 
later  news?  He  could  arrange  all  even  now,  if 
Swindle  would  only  write  him  three  words:  "She  is 
dead." 

In  his  desperation  he  wrote  to  him,  asking,  "Is 
she  dead?"  and  Swindle  answered  back:  "She  is  not 
dead — tout  no  better."  For  weeks  he  endured  the 
misery  of  his  suspense. 

Finally,  one  day,  an  overpowering  spirit  of  rash 
and  cruel  determination  seemed  to  seize  him.  He 
wrote  Swindle  a  letter  which  no  one  saw  but  himself, 
and  mailed  it  by  the  first  steamer.  Three  weeks  from 
that  time  he  came,  excited  and  trembling  with  ap- 
parent joy,  to  the  side  of  Viola,  who  was  sitting  in  a 
reclining  chair  on  the  veranda.  As  he  came  he  called 
the  Count  and  Countess  to  him  with  a  joyful  voice. 
He  had  a  letter  in  his  hand  which  he  read  to  them 


A  Miracle  in  the  Sea  165 

with  all  the  feeling  of  his  strange  nature.    It  was  as 
follows : 

"CHICAGO,  ILL.,  U.  S.  A. 

"November  12,  1872. 

"SiR  HENRY:  I  am  happy  to  announce  to  you 
the  fact  that  the  demented  lady  died  yesterday.  I 
enclose  you  a  clipping  concerning  her  death  from  the 
Tribune.  I  saw  her  remains  and  it  was  she.  Send 
me  $500. 

"DR.   SWIHDLE." 

He  looked  at  Viola  as  though  he  expected  to  re- 
ceive her  in  his  arms.  To  his  astonishment  she 
turned  her  face  from  him  saying: 

"Poor  woman!  I  would  I  could  exchange  places 
with  her!" 


166  Miss  Incognita 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

THE   END   OF   AN    EXPERIMENT. 

THE  manner  of  reception  by  Viola  of  the  news 
of  the  demented  lady's  death  was  a  blow  to  the  plans 
and  hopes  of  Sir  Henry.  He  had  conceived  the  idea 
that  it  would  open  the  -way  for  her  complete  recon- 
ciliation to  him.  In  his  great  yearning  for  her  love 
he  did  not  look  further  as  to  the  consequences  of 
such  a  marriage.  Since  the  children  came,  she  had 
shown  no  affection  for  them,  much  less  the  father. 
She  looked  upon  them  as  the  living  evidence  of  the 
wrong  that  had  been  done  her — as  so  much  of  her 
life  that  had  been  filched  from  her  by  the  perjured 
knavery  and  dishonor  of  their  father.  The  fuel  of 
love  for  him  had  been  exhausted.  If  any  flame  ever- 
more burns  for  him  in  that  heart,  it  becomes  an  un- 
quenchable fire  of  hate.  An  amiable  or  weak  woman, 
who  has  a  slovenly  temperament  and  sluggish  nature, 
whose  iblood  is  inclined  to  clot  instead  of  sparkle, 
whose  veins  are  like  muddy  streams  instead  of  leap- 
ing, crystal  cataracts,  such  a  woman  may  resacrifice 
her  bruised  heart  when  it  has  once  been  dishonored 
— rbut  all  women  are  not  capable  of  .making  such  a 
sacrifice.  Love  in  the  heart  is  like  conviction  in  the 
raind;  it  cannot  be  arbitrarily  forced,  but  comes  as 
tha  result  of  established  la"ws  in  our  natures.  A  so- 
called  fact  disproven  cannot  be  relied  upon  any  more. 


The  End  of  an  Experiment          167 

So  a  woman's  love,  on«e  dishonored  and  cast  away, 
can  seldom  be  again  awakened  for  its  ruthless  de- 
stroyer. Some  sort  of  sentiment  must  occupy  tihe 
heart  for  every  one  we  know;  and  when  the  delicate 
sentiment  of  love  for  one  has  been  destroyed,  the 
sentiment  of  hate  is  more  than  apt  to  >take  its  place — 
for  the  heart,  like  nature,  abhors  a  vacuum. 

So  Viola  could  not,  if  she  would,  have  loved  Sir 
Henry  any  more,  because  it  would  have  been  con- 
trary to  her  nature. 

This  feeling  of  repugnance  passed  from  the  father 
to  the  children.  She  realized  she  could  not  take 
the  children  without  him.  She  associated  them  -with 
him  and  looked  upon  them  as  the  result  of  bis  false- 
hood and  dishonor.  To  have  loved  them  would  have 
been  to  have  loved  him.  To  em'brace  either  was  to 
embrace  both.  To  take  the  children  without  him 
meant  that  she  must  be  forever  the  scapegoat  of 
his  sin,  as  well  as  of  her  own.  In  addition  to  having 
been  the  victim  of  her  perjured  passion,  must  she 
now  everlastingly  sacrifice  herself  as  his  accursed 
scapegoat  ? 

His  constant  daily  attention  to  her  convinced  her 
that  though  she  had  repulsed  him,  she  had  not  van- 
quished him.  Notwithstanding  the  crushing  repulse 
she  had  given  him  when  he  'had  announced  the  insane 
wife's  death,  he  yet  continued  to  renew  his  attacks. 

The  Countess  did  all  she  could  for  him  as  an  in- 
tercessor; she  drew  beautiful  pictures  for  Viola  of 
their  happy  life  in  the  Eroslove  Mansion,  and  how 
she  would  learn  to  love  and  enjoy  the  children,  and 


168  Miss  Incognita 

how  Sir  Henry  would  grow  more  and  more  tender  to 
her.  She  depicited  how  the  house  of  Eroslove,  con- 
joined with  the  house  of  Hanover,  would  make  a 
powerful  line,  and  she  would  share  in  its  increased 
glory  and  her  children  would  be  the  recipients  of  it. 
But  Viola's  heart  was  as  immovable  and  irresponsive 
as  a  magnet  •which  had  lost  its  etheric  life. 

For  some  time  she  has  ceased  to  see  the  children, 
and  they  had  been  sent  away  and  were  in  charge  of 
the  old  negress,  Aunt  Jane,  down  at  the  negro  house 
in  the  clearing. 

Viola's  health  was  now  restored,  and  she  began 
to  get  impatient  to  leave  the  uncongenial  prison 
where  she  had  been  so  long,  and  to  return  to  London. 
Her  old  strength  and  vivacity  of  feeling  had  re- 
turned, and  she  wanted  to  be  where  she  could  enjoy 
life  again.  Sir  Henry  saw  also  that  her  fonner  lus- 
cious beauty  had  returned,  but  with  a  renewed  color- 
ing and  texture  that  rendered  her  more  luxurious 
in  her  appearance  than  she  had  ever  been.  She  was 
now  endowed  with  that  rare  style  of  beauty  which 
accompanies  and  is  the  result  of  some  experience  in 
love's  suffering  as  well  as  in  its  joys. 

When  Sir  Henry  first  knew  Viola  she  was  as 
the  rosebud,  whose  gentle,  blushing  life  had  never 
been  opened  to  another's  sun. 

She  had  opened  alone  to  the  wooing  warmth  of 
his  love;  she  had  unfolded  the  white  robe  of  her 
beauty  for  him  alone.  Having  found  her  the  imma- 
ture bud,  he 'had  developed  her  into  the  more  fra- 
grant form  of  physical  loveliness,  yet,  in  so  doing, 


The  End  of  an  Experiment          1 69 

he  had  so  bruised  her  heart  that  she  turned  against 
him.  He  would  win  her  again !  The  wooing  of 
Juliet  hy  Romeo  was  tame  in  comparison  with  hia 
wooing  of  Viola. 

But  she  remained  cold  and  repulsive  its  her  de- 
meanor toward  him.  One  day  he  threatened  fci>  put 
an  end  to  his  life  if  she  did  not  relent  toward  Mm 
To  which  she  replied : 

"Then  there  will  be  more  room  in  the  world  lor 
me." 

One  day  he  said  to  her:  "Viola,  my  love,  my 
angel,  what  is  there  to  separate  us1?  She  who  was 
the  cause  of  my  perjury  has  been  removed.  Let  us 
forgive,  forget  and  love  again." 

"If  you  would  forswear  yourself  in  one  instance 
to  deceive  me,  you  would  do  it  again.  I  will  not 
trust  your  oath  again.  The  lady  may  not  be  dead." 

"Yes,  but,  Viola,  here  is  the  Tribune's  account  of 
her  death." 

"Ah,  sir,  they  come  cheap." 

Here  is  the  statement  of  my  agent,  Dr.  Swindle." 

"That  may  be,  sir,  but  you  know  knaves  general- 
ly employ  knaves  as  agents  to  carry  out  their  pur- 
poses." 

Finally  in  a  fit  of  desperation  he  went  to  the  cabin 
of  the  old  Egyptian.  Finding  him  alone,  he  sat 
down  on  a  wooden  bench,  and  fixing  his  eyes  on 
Gymp's  saffron  orbs,  said  to  him : 

"Gymp,  I  am  in  trouble,  and  I  have  come  to  get 
you  to  help  me  out." 

"How  is  dat,  Marster  Henry,  dat  you  kin  be  er- 


170  Miss  Incognita 

habing  trouble  when  you  nab  two  such  fine  children1?" 

"Well,  it's  a'bout  them  and  their  mother;  she  is 
angry  with  me  and  will  not  do  as  I  wish  her.  I 
must  get  you  to  help  me  bend  her  to  my  will.  You 
can  do  it  if  you  will." 

"Yah,  what  could  I  do,  Marster  Henry,  to  ben' 
sweet  Missus  ter  yer  will1?  I  don't  know  that  she 
ought  ter  ben'  ter  your  will." 

"Then,  Gymp,  I  will  tell  you  why  I  think  she 
ought."  And  he  proceeded  to  tell  Gymip  about  what 
he  wanted  Viola  to  do,  and  of  her  course  of  action 
toward  him,  and  of  what  an  awful  predicament  she 
left'  him  and  the  children  in,  and  closed  by  paying: 

"I  have  wooed  her;  I  have  pleaded  with  her;  I 
have  prayed  to  her;  but  all  to  no  purpose.  Now, 
Gymp,  you  know  what  to  do  to  put  her  into  that 
sleep,  when  she  can  be  led  to  do  as  I  wish.  Oh,  if  I 
had  my  vibratoners!  But  those  I  left  behind  me, 
and  I  am  helpless  to  assert  my  influence  the  first 
time  without  them ;  but  I  know  that  you,  the  master, 
who  taught  me  all  I  know,  can,  if  you  will,  place  her 
in  my  power,  and  that  without  the  vibratoners." 

"What  cause  you,  Marster  Henry,  ter  think  I  can 
for  one  minute  ben'  de  young  Missus  ter  your  will?" 

"Why,  Gymp,  have  I  not  seen  you  in  Egypt, 
without  the  use  of  any  vibratoners,  cause  people  at 
any  time  and  anywhere  to  go  into  the  'sleep  of  Isis"? 
Have  I  not  seen  you  thus  cause  men  to  do  as  you 
wished?  Have  I  not  seen  you  cause  men  to  pass  inlo 
the  very  jaws  and  similitude  of  death  itself,  when  life 
seemed  gone  from  them,  and  then  quickly  come  to  life 


The  End  of  an  Experiment          171 

again  at  your  call?  Have  I  not  seen  these  things  and 
a  thousand  more,  and  yet  you  say  you  can't  bend  a 
weak  woman  to  my  will!  If  you  will  not  do  it  teach 
me  more  of  your  art,  so  that  I  can  do  as  I  wish  in 
this  matter.  Oh,  if  I  had  my  vibratoners,  and  could 
have  her  fix  her  eyes  on  their  brilliance  for  a  moment 
I  would  not  have  to  beg  you.  But  you  need  them  not. 
You  are  the  master.  Pray  help  me,  and  do  as  I  say !" 

"Marster  Henry,  you  seem  like  you  want  ter  flat- 
ter old  Gymp  evbout  what  he  has  done,  and  make 
'im  proud  and  want  to  do  as  yon  wish  'im  ter  do 
and  all  dat.  But  in  all  dese  things  old  Gymp  ain't 
never  done  no  evil  wid  his  power,  but  always  good.- 
And  I  want  ter  tell  you,  I  would  do  most  anything 
for  you  'but  dis  what  you  want.  And  bad  as  hit 
hurts  me,  I  will  haf  ter  tell  you  again  you  has  broke 
your  oath,  an'  I  would  not  fer  my  old  life  tell  you 
any  .mo'  'bout  dis  power.  You  know  de  young  Mis- 
sus ain't  done  no  wrong,  and  how  is  old  Gymp  gwine 
ter  'pose  on  her  his  power1?" 

"But,  Gymp,  I  say  you  must  and  shall,"  answer- 
ed Sir  Henry  in  a  desperate  tone.  "I  cannot  and  will 
not  submit  to  your  refusal.  You  must  remember,  old 
man,  that  you  are  in  my  power,  and  must  do  as  I 
command.  I  tell  you  I  have  not  violated  the  oath 
I  gave  you  when  you  first  taught  me  about  your  art, 
and  you  have  no  way  of  knowing  or  proving  that  I 
have." 

As  soon  as  this  speech  of  Sir  Henry's  was  fin- 
ished, he  saw  Gymp,  without  making  any  reply  to 
him,  take  a  crystal  ball  *  about  the  size  of  an  apple 


172  Miss  Incognita 

from  his  pocket,  gaze  into  it,  then  commence  mut- 
tering as  though  talking  to  himself : 

"Yeah,  I  will  see !  I  will  see !"  As  he  gazed  in 
the  crystal  ball  he  seemed  to  be  lost  as  in  a  reverie 
or  trance,  and  completely  unmindful  of  everything 
a'bout  him.  His  fa,ce  had  a  strange  set,  far-aiway 
look  on  it — his  eyes  were  fixed  as  in  a  state  of  cata- 
lepsy. He  continued  talking  to  himself :  "Yeah. 
Dere  is  de  big  city:  Dere  is  de  street  and  de  house. 
De  very  house  where  he  lived.  I  see  de  name — Dr. 
Dumas — now  I  see  him — bress  my  soul,  Dr.  Dumas  is 
Marster  Henry !  I  see  him.  Den  here  is  his  room — 
aha,  I  see  his  vibratoners — now  I  see  a  young  lady 
in  de  room  wid  de  vibratoners — I  see  her — wat  her 
name1?  Wait  hit  will  come.  Here,  here  'tis — Eidola 
Hand — Mande— v-i-1-l-e.  Yeah,  dat's  her  name.  Now 
I  see  Marster  Henry — Dr.  Dumas,  he's  de  same — set 
her  down  on  de  lounge  and  her  eyes  look  up  at  de 
vibratoners — now  he  take  her  in  his  arms.  Yeh,  I 
see  hit  all  now.  Oh,  Marster  Henry,  Marster  Hen- 
ry! And  yit  you  say  you  ain't  broke  your  oath  'bout 
de  use  ob  dis  power  fer  evil !  Wait,  I  see  de  mar- 
riage— I  see  hit  all.  Master  Henry  she's  your  wife. 
Yeah,  yeah,  and  I  see  her,  and  she  still  living,  yeah, 
living  in  a  big  house  wid  lots  of  folks  erbout  her — 
still  living!" 

*Any  reader  desiring  to  know  something  of  the  wonders 
accomplished  by  certain  people  in  "crystal  gazing"  will 
please  see  accounts  of  the  making  of  the  remarkable  ex- 
periments recorded  in  "The  Proceedings  of  the  Society  for 
Psychical  Research,"  of  London,  England. 


The  End  of  an  Experiment         1 73 

At  this  point  Lord  Eroslove  cried  out:  "What! 
Gymp,  still  living!  Is  she  still  living?  Where  is 
she?  Tell  me  all  about  her?  Does  she  look  like 
she  will  die  soon?" 

Gym,p  went  on  talking  to  himself,  as  though  he  did 
not  hear  these  exclamations :  "Yeah,  she  is  living, 
and  yet  Marster  -Henry  want  me  ter  ben'  de  udder 
young  Missus  ter  marry  him  too,  and  he  say  he  ain't 
never  broke  his  oath.  La,  la,  la,  Marster  Henry,  you 
is  ruined,  and  yo  has  ruined  bof  de  young  Missuses, 
and  one  on  'em  gwine  ter  ruin  you  ter  de  death! 
Yeah,  I  see  hit  all  Marster  Henry.  Why  did  you 
do  hit?  Why  do  all  dis,  and  den  say  you  gwine  ter 

force  old  Gymp  ter  ben'  dis  young  liissus "  and 

for  the  first  time  Gymp  raised  his  eyes  to  look  into 
the  face  of  Lord  Eroslove — tout  he  was  gone.  He  had 
left  in  consternation  and  dismay,  and  we  next  see 
him  standing  by  Viola,  as  she  says  to  him: 

"The  'Ulia'  touches  here  next  week  on  her  way 
to  England.  Make  your  plans  to  accompany  me 
home  on  her,  or  I  shall  go  alone." 

"But  what  shall  we  do  with  the  children  ?" 

T  leave  their  disposition  to  the  one  who  laid 
himself  out  in  perjury  and  dishonor  to  get  them. 
You  said  you  had  a  plan,  and  that  in  case  of  de- 
fault in  our  marriage,  you  would  carry  on  'your 
experiment  out  of  marriage,'  did  you  not?" 

<{Yes,  those  were  my  words,  and  if  I  must,  then 
I  can." 

That  same  afternoon  Sir  Henry  sent  the  follow- 


1 74  iVliss  Incognita 

ing  message  by  a  passenger  steamer  bound  for  New 
York: 

"STEELE  A.  FORTUNE,  Attorney, 

"220V2   Wall   Street,   New   York,  U.   S.   A., 
"Come    at    once    to    Eroslove    Island,    Bermuda 

group,  on  first  steamer,  'Ulia.' 

"LORD   EROSLOVE." 

The  next  day  he  called  the  count  and  they  wem 
out  again  to  Gymp's  cabin.  As  they  walked  out 
Lord  Eroslove  said : 

"Well,  Count,  the  jig  is  up  with  me.  I  have  lost 
her." 

"Who?     De  leetle  baby  geerlf 

"No;  that  beautiful  mother  of  the  baby  girl." 

"Don't  she  niarry  you  seence  de  other  lady's 
death?" 

"No.  She  accuses  me  of  deceiving  her  on  this 
point." 

"Eend  sheh  won't  haf  you  none  ett  all,  deen?" 

"That's  it — and  it's  no  use  prolonging  my  suit. 
She  informed  me  yesterday  that  she  intended  to  sail 
for  London  on  the  HJlia'  next  week,  and  that  I 
must  dispose  of  those  children  if,  I  desire  to  fol- 
low her.  Oh,  Count,  I  ha.ve  lost  her  forever." 

"But  vat  are  you  going  to  do  vid  deem  ehel- 
dreen  f 

"You  will  see.  I  shall  continue  my  experiment 
out  of  marriage  with  them.  I  shall  send  them  forth 
in  the  world,  and  see  what  their  blood  will  make  of 
them." 


The  tLnd  of  an  Experiment          1 75 

TVith  the  loss  of  his  hope  of  love  Sir  Henry 
seemed  to  have  lost  his  heart  and  become  cruel. 
This  is  often  the  case  with  men  of  strong  impulses 
and  passions.  Any  one  could  see  from  the  dark- 
ness of  the  cloud  upon  his  brow  and  the  size  of  the 
dimple  in  his  chin,  that  he  had  made  up  his  mind- 
to  carry  out  some  plan  which  to  a  tender  nature 
would  be  cruel  and  shocking  in  the  extreme. 

For  the  same  reason  that  Viola  had  turned  against 
him  and  the  children  he  had  now  turned  against  her 
and  the  children. 

She  would  not  have  them  and  he  would  not 
have  them,  and  between  the  two  the  children  were 
now  forced  to  be  the  innocent  objects  of  a  cruel 
experiment.  Without  the  mother  they  could  not  be 
his  legal  heirs,  and  so  would  fail  to  accomplishh 
the  purpose  he  so  much  desired.  Hence  he  would 
get  rid  of  them,  and  as  soon  as  he  reached  Lon- 
don he  would  also  be  rid  of  the  mother. 

He  and  the  Count  had  now  reached  the  cabin 
»f  "Gymp  the  Conjurer."  The  room  was  festooned 
with  skins  and  stuffed  reptiles  of  all  sorts  and  de- 
scriptions. The  walls  Avere  decorated  with  bones 
and  skulls.  In  the  sockets  of  the  skulls  he  kept 
various  kinds  of  charms  and  amulets. 

"Gymp,"  said  Sir  Henry,  "are  you  in?"  at  the 
same  time  opening  the  door. 

"Yes,  sir,  and  as  you  come  in  may  de  charm 
above  your  head  protec'  you,"  said  the  old  Egyp- 
tian, in  a  weird,  broken,  hollow  voice. 


176  r/fiss  Incognita 

"Thank  you.  Gymp,  I  want  you  to  go  with  me. 
Can  you  go  at  once1?" 

"Yes,  sir,  ef  de  evil  sperit  do  not  curse  me." 
"Have  you  your  fluid  and  needles  for  tattooing1?" 
"Yes,   sir,  'but   I   must   hold  it   over  de   flame   ob 
.de  burnin'   serpen's  tail." 
"Well,  get  ready,  Gym-p." 

He  went  to  the  body  of  a  small  rmimmy  croco- 
dile filled  with  some  kind  of  liquid,  and  out  of  that 
he  took  an  object  that  looked  like  the  tail  of  a 
green  snake.  This  he  put  in  the  socket  of  a  skull, 
so  that  it  projected  from  the  socket  and  stood  partly 
upright.  He  then  went  to  the  wall  and  took  down 
a  green-looking  hollow  bone  filled  with  some  fluid. 
He  got  a  light  from  the  fire,  which  glimmered  low 
in  the  center  of  the  room,  and  ignited  the  tail  of 
the  snake,  which  emitted  a  green  flame  having  a 
strong  odor.  Over  this  he  held  the  hollow  bone 
containing  the  fluid  until  the  fluid  was  so  hot  that 
it  sent  up  a  vapor.  Then  nodding  his  white  bushy 
head  up  and  down,  he  said:  "So!  so!  you  are  hot 
and  green  from  de  flame  of  de  green  snake's  tail." 
He  then  got  a  small,  keen  bone,  as  sharp  as  a  steel 
needle.  He  held  this  over  the  green  flame  of  the 
green  snake's  tail  until  it  became  as  green  as  a 
blade  of  grass.  One  end  of  this  bone  was  notched,  or 
hooked  over,  and  this  he  hung  in  a  hole  in  the  lobe 
of  his  ear.  Then  taking  up  his  long  crocodile-head 
siick  in  one  hand,  grasping  it  by  the  middle,  and 
taking  the  hollow  bone  containing  the  fluid  in  the 
other,  he  said : 


The  End  of  an  Experiment       •   1 77 

"To  go  wid  you  I  am  now  ready." 

He  followed  Lord  Eroslove  and  the  Count  down 
to  the  negro  cabin  in  the  clearing.  As  he  walked 
half  bent  over,  his  white  shaggy  hair  waving  up  and 
down  in  motion  with  the  rising  and  falling  of  his 
stooped-over  body,  and  the  crocodile  head  of  his 
long  stick  with  its  beaded  eyes  glared  above  the 
old  man's  head,  as  though  it  were  his  guardian 
angel. 

As  they  entered  the  cabin  the  negroes  and  the 
nurses  fled  in  terror  of  "Gymp  the  Conjurer." 
leaving  the  children  lying  upon  the  bed.  The  black 
population  were  always  in  awe  of  the  old  Egyp- 
tian, for  they  feared  his  conjuring  arts — and  only 
when  they  sent  for  him  to  work  or  break  a  spell,  or 
to  cure  them,-  or  to  tell  their  fortunes,  or  to  supply 
them  'with  an  amulet  or  a  charm,  would  they  endure 
his  presence.  His  power  over  them  was  almost 
omnipotent.  Whatever  he  wanted  they  gave,  what- 
ever he  ordered  was  done. 

Old  Gymp  .gazed  at  the  bright,  chubby,  beauti- 
ful children  lying  on  the  bed,  bundled  in  a  wealth 
of  white  stuffs  aiul  laces,  and  then  he  looked  at  Sir 
Henry.  Finally  he  said : 

"Not  on  dem." 

"Yes,  Gymp,  on  them." 

"Den  may  de  sacred  head  ob  de  crocodile  pro- 
tec'  dem !"  and  he  waved  the  crocodile  end  of  h:s 
staff  up  and  down  over  them. 

"Gib   me   de   charmed   words  and  -bare   de   skin." 

At  this  point   the   Count,  who   had  be<^    "^ely 


1  78  Miss  Incognita 

observing  all  the  proceedings  and  saying  nothing, 
exclaimed : 

"Meene  Got,  Zir  Heenry,  you  are  not  goeeng  to 
haf  dem  keeled." 

"No,  Count,  not  killed — that  would  thwart  my 
purpose.  I  am  going  to  put  a  brand,  a  mark  upon 
them,  and  turn  them  loose  where  it  pleases  me,  so 
that  perchance  in  the  future  I  may  locate  them  and 
ascertain  what  their  blood  has  made  of  them. 

"Now,  Gymp,  this  is  the  boy.  Yes,  this  is  the 
little  fellow.  Here,  Count,  give  me  your  knife,  that 
I  may  cut  this  dress  out  of  the  way.  Here  upon 
this  breast  of  his  tattoo  these  two  words,  one  above 
the  other,  just  as  you  see  them  on  this  paper.  Be- 
ware, Gymp !  If  you  fail,  if  you  make  one  slip 
in  oozing  these  words  into  this  flesh  as  they  are 
written,  I  will—!  So  do  it  well!" 

That  his  long  white  beard  might  not  be  in  the 
way  Gymip  parted  it,  bringing  it  half  and  half 
on  each  side  of  his  neck  and  tying  it  together  be- 
hind. He  turned  the  child  square  upon  its  oack 
and  made  the  Count  and  Sir  Henry  hold  its  little 
hands  and  feet.  Then  he  took  the  sharp,  green 
bone  out  of  the  hole  in  the  lobe  of  his  ear,  and  held 
it  in  his  right  hand,  holding  it  near  the  sharp  point. 
In  his  left  hand  he  held  the  green  bone  containing 
the  green  liquid.  He  placed  the  paper  containing  the 
characters  written  by  Sir  Henry  upon  the  child's 
breast  exactly  where  they  were  to  be  made  to  grow 
into  the  living  flesh.  Over  this  he  lightly  poured 
some  green  liquid.  After  a  moment  or  two  he  re 


The  End  of  an  Experiment          1 79 

moved  the  paper  and  the  characters  were  shown  in 
their  exact  form  upon  the  skin  of  the  child.  Now  he 
began  the  work  of  tattooing.  The  old  man's  whole 
form  was  in  an  ague  of  palsy.  His  hand  trembled, 
and  holding  the  sharp-pointed  bone  near  the  end, 
which  he  often  dipped  in  the  green  liquid,  he  began 
his  task.  With  each  downward  palsied  movement 
of  the  old  man's  han'd  the  sharp  point  entered  the 
child's  tender  skin. 

The  little  fellow  screamed  with  pain  and  writhed 
his  little  body,  as  the  strong  men  held  him  and  the 
sharp  point  sank  with  rapid  vibrations  into  his  ten- 
der skin. 

So  agonizing  became  his  screams  that  the  Count 
cried  out: 

"Meene  Got,  stop!  You  will  keel  de  chile  eend 
me  too!" 

Then  the  old  Egyptian  bent  low  over  the  child, 
chanting  some  weird  words  and  stroking  his  little 
head  and  eyes,  and  in  a  moment  a  deep  slumber  fell 
upon  him,  from  which  he  did  not  awake  during,  the 
rest  of  the  operation. 

Gymp  now  did  his  work  with  great  rapidity, 
moaning  a  low,  weird  chant,  his  palsied  hand  vi- 
brating like  the  needle-bar  of  a  sewing  machine,  and 
with  each  movement  the  sharp  point  of  the  bone  en- 
tered the  child's  flesh.  .Soon  the  entire  surface  of  the 
skin  on  which  the  letters  had  been  imprinted  had 
been  pricked  over.  Exactly  "where  the  characters 
,  the  surface  presented  a  red  and  greenish  ap- 


180  Miss  Incognita 

pearance,  the  blood  of  the  child  mixing  with  the 
green  fluid  tattooed  into  the  skin. 

This  surface  was  now  swollen  and  conjested,  but 
the  child  slept  and  felt  no  pain.  Then  old  Gymp 
looked  up  through  his  white,  shaggy  brows  into  the 
eyes  of  Sir  Henry,  and  said:  "If  dis  p'int  ob  my 
•bone  missed  one  stroke  upon  de  letter  on  de  chile 
may  de  holy  crocodile  torture  me,  eben  as  you  have 
tortured  dis  chile!" 

"Tut,  you  lie,  Gymp.  You  were  the  torturer,  sir. 
Now  for  the  other  one  there.  Look,  these  charac- 
ters opon  and  across  her  breast  also." 

"Meene  Got !  Zir  Henry,  she  ees  de  geerle.  Not 
on  her  'breasts  eend  defile  her  beauty  for  some  fu- 
ture lover !" 

"Yes,  Gymp,  across  Tier  breasts.  If  you  miss  one 
of  them  I  will  blow  your  old  head  to  where  there 
are  worse  things  than  holy  crocodiles.  Remember, 
put  these  exact  letters.  They  are  the  counterpart  of 
those  upon  the  boy.  So  be  careful,  even  to  each 
dot  and  dash." 

"Geemp,  meene  Got,  eef  you  don't  put  her  to 
sleep  first,  I  vill  keel  you  reeght  here — I  vill,  begad." 

Old  Gemp  bent  his  yellow  face  down  close  to  that 
of  the  child,  peering  into  her  great  baby  eyes  with 
his  sunken,  saffron  orbs,  and  stroking  with  his  bony, 
palsied  hand  the  delicate,  pink  skin  of  her  head. 
Soon  the  little  eyes  were  closed  in  deep  sleep.  Be- 
fore she  awoke  a  mark  had  been  put  upon  her  beau- 
ty which  was  destined  to  remain  'with  her  until 
death. 


The  End  of  an  Experiment          131 

Sir  Henry  called  back  the  nurses  when  all  was 
done,  and  left  them  in  charge  of  the  twins,  saying: 

"I  will  call  tomorrow  and  see  them." 

The  next  day  he  called  and  dressed  their  wounds 
and  saw  that  each  letter  was  fastening  its  grip  deep 
down  into  the  flesh.  He  left  an  ointment  with  the 
old  nurse  to  dress  their  wounds. 

When  the  "Ulia"  touched  off  the  Bermudas  early 
the  next  week,  the  four  people  got  aboard  who  nine 
months  before  that  time  had  disembarked  from  her  at 
that  point.  As  they  went  on  board  Lord  Eroslove 
met  a  pale,  intellectual  man,  who  was  arranging  to 
get  off.  He  spoke  to  the  stranger  in  subdued  tones 
for  a  few  minutes,  and  then  gave  him  a  bundle  of 
papers.  The  stranger  embarked  in  the  same  little 
skiff  in  which  Sir  Henry  and  his  party  bad  come 
and  went  back  in  the  direction  of  Eroslove  Island. 


182  Miss  Incognita 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

MISS    INCOGNITA — COLONEL    FORTUNE. 

ONE  day  in  the  latter  part  of  the  year  1873  the 
careful  reader  of  the  "want"  columns  of  the  New 
York  World  could  have  read,  and  some  did  read, 
the  following  advertisement : 

"WANTED — Some  reliable  party  of  good  character 
and  standing  and  respectable  position,  to  adopt  a 
male  child  of  high  birth  and  ample  fortune.  The 
terms  of  the  adoption  to  be  agreed  upon  when  the 
proper  party  is  selected.  Apply  to  STEELE  A.  FOR- 
TUNE, Attorney  at  Law,  No.  220V2  Wall  Street,  City." 

In  the  same  and  subsequent  issues  of  the  World 
appeared  another  advertisement  of  the  same  style 
as  the  above,  except  that  the  child  to  be  adopted  was 
a  girl.  This  advertisement  was  signed  by  "A.  Fee, 
Attorney,  No.  400y2  Broadway,  City." 

A  few  days  after  the  appearance  of  the  above 
advertisements  a  lady  alighted  from  a  carriage  in 
front  of  the  building  containing  the  law  offices  of 
Steele  A.  Fortune,  Esq.,  and  hurrying  up  the  stairs, 
announced  herself  by  a  tap  upon  the  door.  She 
informed  the  clerk  who  met,  that  she  desired  to  see 
Mr.  Fortune  on  a  private  matter,  at  the  same  time 
handing  him  her  card,  upon  which  was  engraved  the 
unusual  name,  "Miss  Incognita." 


Colonel  Fortune  183 

She  took  her  seat  in  the  reception  room  wait- 
ing to  be  ushered  into  the  presence  of  the  attor- 
ney. The  appearance  of  the  young  lady  was  as  un- 
usual as  her  name.  Her  age  seemed  to  be  about 
four-and-twenty.  Her  figure  was  a  perfect  model 
of  feminine  perfection. 

Her  eyes  were  a  dark  violet  tint. 

Her  mouth  reminded  one  of  a  bow-knot  that 
could  tie  and  untie  itself  just  as  it  wished — which 
was  always  in  keeping  with  the  emotion  that  pos- 
sessed the  owner. 

Becoming  tired  of  sitting  she  began  to  walk 
about  the  room.  Her  eyes  fell  upon  an  open  book 
upon  the  center  table.  Walking  up  to  it  she  looked 
upon  the  open  page  of  the  book  and  she  road  these 
words:  "It  has  been  decided  that  under  existing 
treaties  a  legal  marriage  contracted  in  the  United 
States  is  binding  in  England  until  the  marriage  tie 
is  legally  dissolved.  The  offence  of  bigamy  is  ex- 
traditaJble." 

When  she  read  these  words  her  eyes  flashed,  and 
she  seemed  to  test  the  strength  in  the  intensity  of  her 
emotion  and  the  effort  to  control  it ;  gradually  she 
calmed  herself,  and  then  extended  her  right  hand 
heavenward,  as  though  taking  an  oath  in  the  pres- 
ence of  her  God. 

Just  at  this  instant  she  was  summoned  into  the 
lawyer's  private  office. 

"Miss  Incognita,  I  believe." 

"Yes,  sir,  and  you  are  Mr.  Fortune,  the  attor- 
neyt" 


184  Miss  Incognita 

"True,  madam,  and  I  am  delighted  to  have  the 
pleasure  of  meeting  you;  pray  be  seated."  This  was 
said  with  much  emphasis.  Such  a  thing  as  sentiment 
or  emotion  was  nearly  foreign  to  his  nature,  yet  such 
was  the  impression  made  upon  him  by  the  beauty 
and  striking  personality  of  Miss  Incognita  that  he 
became  almost  gallant  and  youthful. 

"Pray  tell  me  how  I  can  serve  you1?" 

"I  came  to  see  you  about  this,"  and  she  handed 
him  the  advertisement  she  had  clipped  from  the 
World  concerning  the  adoption  of  the  baby  boy. 

When  she  spoke  to  him  her  soft  cadences  floated 
through  the  air  like  the  murmurings  of  an  aeolian 
harp  and  seemed  to  linger  in  his  ear  after  her  voice 
had  ceased. 

He  said  with  a  smile  upon  his  face — where 
frowns  and  wrinkles  generally  held  high  carnival — 
"Your  birthplace,  if  not  your  home,  is  in  Italy,  is 
it  not?" 

"I  am  sorry  to  say  that  to  yon,  as  to  all  others 
here,  my  home  as  well  as  my  name  and  personality 
are  incognito.  I  am  now  living  in  this  city.  That 
suffices  for  you  to  know,  does  it  not?" 

The  lawyer  leaned  forward  under  the  spell  of 
her  soft  voice. 

"Perhaps   so.     Are   you    alone   in    the    world?" 

"Yes,  except  that  I  have  a  few  friends  who  know 
me." 

"You  seem  to  be  so  young  to  be  alone "  this 

he  said  as  though  musing  to  himself — "but  tell  me, 


Colonel  Fortune  185 

please,  if  you  are  thus  alone,  why  should  this  ad- 
vertisment  of  mine  interest  you?" 

She  inclined  her  head  gently  toward  him,  and  said 
in  a  sadder,  lower,  softer  tone  than  ever:  "Be- 
cause I  am  so  lonely.  I  do  not  wish  to  remain  so. 
and  then,  it  seems,  here  is  a  little  one  who  has  been 
cast  upon  this  lonely  world  not  of  its  own  volition, 
who  seems  to  be  stretching  out  its  little  lonely  hands 
in  mute  appeal  for  some  one  to  be  its  mother  and 
bestow  upon  it  love  and  succor.  I  cannot  resist  its 
helpless,  speechless  appeal,  and  I  have  come  here  to 
see  upon  what  terms  the  little  fellow  can  be  taken 
and  become  mine  own!  How  happy  I  shall  be  to  have 
someone  for  mine  own  and  in  return  some  day  re- 
ceive its  grateful  love.  How  infinitely  sweet  it 
would  be  to  me  to  be  called  mother,  and  to  have  a  dear 
little  one  call  me  mother —  "  here  she  paused  a  mo- 
ment, and  then  added,  looking  intently  at  the  lawyer) 
— "to  be  a  mother  and  that  without  sin." 

"So  this  is  your  motive  in  wanting  to  adopt  this 
child?" 

"Solely.  I  yearn  to  love,  and  to  know  that  I  am 
unselfishly  loved.  Life  is  nothing  to  me  without  this. 
I  thought  once  I  had  attained  this  blessed  state, 
when  all  at  once  my  heart  was  made  miserable,  and 
instead  of  love  I  received  the  curse  of—  Here  she 
quickly  checked  herself,  regained  her  self-control,  and 
added :  "Pray  sir,  excuse  my  weakness." 

By  the  time  she  finished  speaking  the  lawyer 
had  leaned  toward  her  until  has  head  rested  in  his 
hand,  with  his  elbow  propped  upon  his  knee,  and 


186  Miss  Incognita 

thus  he  remained  for  full  two  minutes  after  she 
had  ceased  speaking.  He  acted  as  though  he  was 
listening  to  some  far-away  melody  and  he  was  afraid 
some  of  its  enchanted  notes  would  escape  him.  Fin- 
ally he  aroused  himself,  and  without  even  lifting  his 
eyes,  said : 

"You  will  find  the  terms  of  this  adoption  hard." 
"Oh,   no,   I   will   not   despair.     Let   me  know   the 
terms.    But    first    let   .me   ask   you,   is   it    a   comely 
child  r 

"Yes,  finely  molded,  both  in  form   and  feature." 
"Whose  child  is  it,  and  where  is  it   from1?" 
"Dear  madam,  I  can  never  say,  and  you  can  never 
know.     You    will    be    informed    as    to    this    secrecy 
when  you  see  the  conditions  of  this  trust  put  upon 
me,  and  the  terms  of  the  adoption." 

"Then  show  me  the  terms  of  this  trust." 
He  pulled  out  from  his  drawer  of  papers  a 
lengthy  document,  to  which  was  attached  a  seal,  and 
slowly  unfolded  it.  The  evening  was  cloudy  and 
the  gloomy  office  of  the  lawyer,  which  even  on  bright 
days  was  of  a  dusky  hue,  had  now  grown  quite  dark, 
so  he  laid  the  document  on  the  table  which  stood 
between  them  and  got  up  to  light  the  gas.  As  he 
did  so,  the  folios  of  the  paper  automatically  opened, 
leaving  the  seal,  signature  and  handwriting  exposed 
to  the  eye  of  the  lady.  As  he  lit  the  gas  burner 
the  light  flashed  upon  the  paper  and  her  eye  quickly 
rested  upon  the  handwriting  and  signature.  The 
la'wyer  did  not  see  her,  but  she  trembled,  and  her 
face  and  mouth  became  as  fixed  as  the  features  of 


Colonel  Fortune  187 

a  marble  Venus.  She  sighed,  clutched  her  chair,  and 
turned  her  sad,  and  now  white  face  away.  She  had 
imagined  she  had  recognized  the  handwriting. 

The  lawyer  sat  down  after  lighting  the  gas,  and, 
as  he  did  so,  she  turned  to  him  and  said  with  calm- 
ness in  her  voice,  but  unwonted  emphasis  in  her 
words : 

"Now  tell  me  what  are  the  conditions." 
The  name  signed  to  the  paper  '"was  a  strange  one, 
unknown  to  her,  but  from  the  instant  she  saw  the 
signature  and  chirograiphy  and  imagined  she  recog- 
nized the  handwriting.  «he  was  a  changed  woman. 
From  being  actuated  solely  by  a  species  of  maternal 
sentiment  to  adopt  the  child,  her  mind,  as  by  an  in- 
tuition, had  instantly  formed  a  detecmination  as 
fixed  as  dea-th  itself,  to  have  this  child  and  to  find 
out  the  secret  of  its  parentage.  By  some  mysterious 
insight  of  the  soul,  which  sometimes  manifests  itself 
in  all  of  us,  she  had  on  the  instant  upon  seeing  the 
handwriting  and  that  peculiar  name,  divined  that 
connected  with  this  paper  and  this  child,  was  the 
clue  to  the  secret  she  would  give  her  life  to  dis- 
cover! Strange  indeed  it  is  how  that  memory  con- 
nected with  our  sub-conscious  mind,  as  psychologists 
term  it,  "will  treasure  up  the  smallest  events,  to 
which  our  conscious  mind  will  scarce  give  a  passing 
notice,  and  then  when  the  occasion  comes,  bring 
them  forth  to  comfort  us  or  to  aid  us  in  our  srtug- 
gles. 


188  Miss  Incognita 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

TERMS    OF    ADOPTION. 

THE  lawyer  gathered  up  the  folios  of  the  docu- 
ment, and  nervously  glanced  at  Miss  Incognita 
when  he  saw  the  writing  and  the  signature  lying 
there  exposed  in  the  glare  of  the  gaslight.  She  gave 
him  no  hint  by  any  sign  of  emotion  or  otherwise, 
outside  of  the  first  burst  of  exclamation,  which  luck- 
ily had  escaped  him,  that  she  had  noticed  anything. 

"You  will  observe,  Miss  Incognita,  that  the  first 
condition  imposed  on  the  one  adopting  this  child  is 
that  they  must  be  possessed  of  wealth,  and  must  be 
of  good  character  and  social  standing.  The  instru- 
ment requires  that  these  essentials  must  be  proven  to 
the  satisfaction  of  the  trustee  of  this  child's  estate 
or  his  attorney." 

"These  are  wise  requirements,  and  I  can  meet 
them  to  your  satisfastion.  As  to  my  wealth,  here 
are  my  tax  receipts  for  the  past  year,  here  are 
memoranda  showing  my  yearly  income,  here  is  my 
bank  book  showing  my  deposits  of  money — now  sat- 
isfy yourself  of  the  genuineness  of  these  papers  be- 
fore we  proceed  further." 

The  lawyer  scanned  one  after  another  closely. 
"This  is  perfectly  satisfactory." 

"Will   this   suffice1?"   she   asked,     as     she   handed 


Terms  of  Adoption  1 89 

him  two  large  scrolls  with  a  number  of  red  seals 
attached. 

He  studied  them  for  a  moment  and  replied: 

"These  documents  prove  you  to  be  one  of  pro- 
fessional and  literary  attainments,  but  you  see  they 
do  not  touch  on  your  private  life."  He  then  hesi- 
tated a  moment  and  asked: 

"Are  you  married?" 

She  replied:  "As  I  have  told  you  before,  this  is 
my  own  secret  and  shall  remain  so." 

"You  live  with  your  father,  or  mother  or  bro- 
thers, then?" 

She  replied:  "I  do  not,  and  it  does  not  concern 
any  one  but  myself  whether  I  have  or  haven't  any." 

"Then  you  must  board  with  some  private  fami- 
ly." 

"No,  I  keep  my  own  establishment." 

The  lawyer  looked  uneasy  and  had  a  hesitating 
manner. 

Then  she  said :  "You  show  too  plainly  your 
thoughts  and  feelings.  Let  me  ask  you  a  question 
or  two :  You  have  never  been  married,  and  are  not 
now?" 

"No." 

"You  do  not  live  with  your  father  nor  mother, 
nor  brother  nor  sister?" 

"No." 

"You  do  not  board  and  endure  a  victim's  life  in 
some  public  or  private  boarding  house?" 

"No,  I  have  rooms  at  my  club." 

"Do  these  matters  affect  your  character,  or  ren- 


190  Miss  Incognita 

der  your  social  standing  uncertain  or  undesirable1?" 

"Oh,  no,  madam;  but  you  see  I  am  a  man,  and 
you  are  a  woman,  and  you  know  social  customs — 

She  looked  at  the  lawyer  in  such  a  searching,  half- 
amused,  forbidding  manner  that  he  stopped  short. 
Folding  her  arms  and  assriming  a  firm,  though  lady- 
like posture  that  conveyed  much  meaning,  she  con- 
tinued : 

"Many  women  are  alone  in  the  world,  and  not  of 
their  own  choosing  always;  and  being  alone,  they 
prefer  to  remain  so,  rather  than  cast  themselves  on 
some  strangers'  household.  Justice  is  sexless.  Right 
should  recognize  neither  man  nor  woman,  but  only 
human  'beings.  If  social  customs  run  contrary  to 
justice  and  right,  they  should  not  be  respected,  and 
he  who  does  so  has  a  narrow  mind.  Am  I  correct?" 

She  waited  for  his  reply  without  moving  her 
gaze  from  his  eyes.  He  answered : 

"Your  logic  is  irrefutable." 

Then  she  said :  "But  if  you  are  not  satisfied  on 
this  point,  come  to  my  residence  this  afternoon  and 
I  think  I  can  satisfy  you  as  to  this.  What  are  the 
other  conditions  of  this  adoption? 

"The  next  is  that  the  child  must  foe  called  by 
the  name  you  will  find  tattooed  on  his  breast — 
'Eros.' " 

"Eros?  Tattooed  on  his  breast?"  she  asked  with 
earnestness — "and  the  name  ineffaceably  pricked  into 
his  skin?" 

"True,  madam." 


Terms  of  Adoption  191 

"I  agree  to  this.  I  suppose  it's  to  be  his  given 
ttftnef 

"Yes,  madam.  Such  I  judge  from  the  instru- 
ment. The  next  condition  reads  thusly:  'Whoso 
adopts  this  child  sh'all  bind  himself  or  herself  noti 
to  attempt  to  discover  the  child's  sister,  who  has 
been  adopted  by  another  party." 

"I  will  have  to  agree  to  this,  'but  what  can  be 
the  meaning  of  such  conditions  and  requirements  as 
these?" 

"I  have  now  lived  long  enough,  Miss  Incognita, 
to  learn  to  accept  all  facts  and  believe  but  few 
statements,  and  to  waste  no  time  in  seeking  the 
reasons  for  either.  There  are  so  many  things  that 
no  reason  can  be  given  for,  that  I  have  come  to 
learn  this  lesson  and  obey  it.  But  I  suppose  the 
object  of  this  clause  is  to  prevent  any  further 
knowledge  of  the  family  history  of  the  child."  Hav- 
ing said  this  he  began  with  the  paper  again. 

"Well,  I  know  you  will  not  object  to  the  other 
clauses,  which  are  to  the  effect  that  30,000  pounds  are 
invested  in  trust  for  the  boy,  and  that  until  he  is  ten 
years  of  age  you  shall  be  paid  $50  per  month  for 
his  maintenance,  and  after  that  age,  $100  per  month. 
The  New  York  Life  Insurance  Company  is  the  trus- 
tee, and  it  is  empowered  to  pay  over  the  principal 
and  all  accumulations  when  the  boy  is  of  age,  if 
the  conditions  of  the  contract  as  to  the  adoption  have 
been  complied  with." 

The  paper  concluded  with  the  statement  that  a 
sealed  document  disclosing  such  facts  concerning 


192  Miss  Incognita 

the  child  as  the  father  saw  fit  to  give  had  been  de 
posited  with  said  trustees  mentioned  above,  with 
instructions  to  turn  it  over  to  the  boy  when  he 
arrived  at  eighteen  years  of  age. 

"What  guarantee  have  I  that  this  income  ard 
the  corpus  of  this  estate  will  be  forthcoming  to  the 
child  as  set  forth  V 

"This,"  said  the  lawyer,  handing  her  a  paper. 
She  took  it  quickly,  hoping  to  find  some  unnoticed 
clue  that  would  confirm  her  in  her  surmise  as  to 
the  author  of  the  other  paper  and  as  to  the  identi- 
ty of  the  father  of  this  boy. 

She  scanned  the  paper  nervously  though  critical- 
ly. In  vain  did  she  search  for  her  clue.  She  could 
find  none. 

The  document  was  executed  by  the  "New  York 
Life  Insurance  Company,  trustee  for  a  male  child 
to  be  hereafter  named,  which  child  was  then  in  the 
custody  of  Steele  A.  Fortune,  attorney  for  the  father 
of  the  child,  a  party  unknown  to  said  trustee,"  etc. 

Miss  Incognita  returned  the  paper  to  the  lawyer, 
remarking  that  she  was  "perfectly  satisfied." 

"I  believe  now  only  one  thing  remains  to  be  done, 
and  that  is  for  you  to  drive  with  me  to  my  resi- 
dence, to  pass  upon  the  question  of  my  respectabili- 
ty as  a  single  woman  living  alone,"  she  said  with  a 
little  laugh — but  her  manner  nevertheless  showed  a 
little  piquancy,  and  also  a  shy  bit  of  sarcasm  thrust 
at  the  lawyer.  Without  waiting  for  a  reply  from 
him  she  continued:  "You  men  are  funny.  If  a 
woman  marry  you,  you  often  look  upon  her  and 


Terms  of  Adoption  193 

treat  her  as  a  dependent,  who  is  therefore  subject 
to  your  will  and  pocketbook.  If  she  does  not  mar- 
ry, and  lives  with  her  relatives,  you  pity  them  that 
they  are  so  heavily  burdened  with  a  spinster.  If  she 
should  do  neither  one  of  these  things,  and  sup- 
ports herself  and  maintains  a  dignified  establish- 
ment of  her  own,  you  hesitate  about  her,  and  must 
look  into  the  question  of  her  respectability !  Ha !  ha ! 
ha!  Now  isn't  this  true,  Mr.  Fortune?" 

All  this  she  said  with  such  gentleness  and  af- 
fability, her  sweet,  tender  voice  almost  trilling  the 
words  as  its  musical  intonation  floated  through  the 
room,  that  the  lawyer  said :  "I  fain  would  argue 
with  you  to  coax  out  the  music  of  your  voice!  But 
I  must  confess  that  I  agree  with  you  at  once,  to  prove 
to  you  the  conclusive  force  of  your  argument.  Too 
often  is  what  you  say  true.  If  social  custom  will 
force  a  woman  in  all  her  spheres  of  life  to  a  rela- 
tion of  dependence,  then  that  same  custom  should 
force  men  in  all  the  relations  of  life  to  treat  her 
with  such  a  degree  of  respect  and  honor  as  to  make 
her  feel  that  she  occupies  the  superior  position." 

"Most  beautifully  spoken,  Mr.  Fortune.  Now  I 
must  dull  the  edge  of  my  former  remarks  to  you  by 
saying  that  since  I  heard  your  words  I  am  sure  you 
do  not  doubt  my  character  and  respectability  because 
I  live  alone  and  maintain  my  unique  establishment; 
but  that  still  it  is  necessary  for  you  to  reassure 
yourself  on  this  point  by  going  with  me  to  my  resi- 
dence as  a  matter  of  conscience,  arising  from  this 
legal  duty  imposed  upon  you  by  your  client." 


194  Miss   Incognita 

"My  dear  Miss  Incognita,  you  relieve  ray  em- 
barrassment by  giving  utterance  in  advance  to  my 
thoughts  and  feelings  with  much  more  force  and 
beauty  than  my  dull  and  prosy  tongue  could  ever 
aspire  to  do." 

"Indeed,  let  me  thank  you  sir.  My  carriage  is 
waiting  below.  You  will  drive  with  me  now,  and 
will  you  not  take  with  you  the  .papers  I  am  to  exe- 
cute, so  as  to  save  any  further  delay?  And  \\ill 
you  not  order  the  child  brought  to  its  future  home 
at  once?  There  is  my  address.  Where  is  this 
child?" 

"I  will  order  it  brought  as  you  suggest.  You 
shall  see  him  without  unnecessary  delaty."  The 
lawyer  at  once  issued  the  necessary  orders  to  his 
clerk,  and  then  informed-  Miss  Incognita  af  his 
readiness  to  accompany  her. 


A  Single  Woman's  Establishment     195 

CHAPTER  XIX. 
A  SINGLE  WOMAN'S   ESTABLISHMENT. 

IN  a  few  minutes  the  carriage  halted  in  front  of 
Miss  Incognita's  residence,  which  the  lawyer  observed 
was  a  substantial  and  artistic  brownstone  front  a  lit- 
tle removed  from  the  ultrafashionable  portion  of 
Fifth  Avenue.  The  house  was  one  of  quiet  dignity 
and  taste,  and  was  set  back  from  the  street,  just  far 
enough  to  allow  a  little  plat  of  ground  for  a  patch 
of  sod  varigated  with  select  flowers. 

The  interior  of  the  house  and  its  furnishings  were 
neat  and  artistic. 

The  entire  first  floor  was  arranged  so  as  to  be 
thrown  together,  when  desired,  into  one  large  bro- 
ken-angled room.  The  entrance  to  the  house  was 
into  a  reception  hall,  from  the  rear  of  which 
ascended  a  large  staircase.  On  the  right  were  large 
double  parlors. 

On  the  left  facing  the  little  patch  of  green- 
sward were  the  sitting-room  and  lounging  room. 
From  this,  by  a  large  door,  one  was  admitted  into  the 
well-arranged  library.  In  the  rear  of  this  room, 
separated  from  a  conservatory  by  a  glass  partition, 
was  the  dining  room.  In  the  rear  of  the  double 
parlors  was  an  artistic  studio,  and  connected  with 
this  a  well-aranged  chemical  laboratory. 

These  were  the  «vi?lenees  of  taste  and  refinement 
which  greeted  the  lawyer's  eye  as  he  entered  the 


196  Miss  Incognita 

house,  accompanying  the  owner — she  appearing  to 
busy  herself  all  the  while  entertaining  him,  and 
trying  to  make  him  feel  that  no  danger  could  hap- 
pen to  him  by  entering  the  unique  establishment  of 
a  single  lady  who  lived  with  neither  cousins  nor 
sisters  nor  aunts,  but  was  actually  an  independent, 
free,  self-sustaining  woman !  They  sat  down  in  the 
reception  hall,  and  Miss  Incognita  touched  a  but- 
ton, which  summoned  to  her  a  young  girl  of  refined 
and  gentle  manners.  Miss  Incognita  drew  her  to  her 
side,  remarking,  "Mr.  Fortune,  this  is  one  .of  my 
household  companions — Mary  Dundee,  Mr.  Fortune." 
The  lawyer  bowed  kindly  and  Mary  made  a  grace- 
ful courtesy,  and  then  Miss  Incognita  said:  "You 
see,  sir,  I  make  household  companions  of  those  who 
live  with  me  and  carry  on  the  functions  of  my 
household.  I  employ  a  half  dozen  girls  and  young 
ladies  in  and  about  my  household.  Not  that  I  need 
so  many  myself,  but  it  gives  them  a  home  and  an 
opportunity  to  earn  some  money.  Five  hours  a  day 
they  give  to  their  studies,  and  during  this  time  I 
furnish  them  with  a  teacher.  I  employ  some  of  these 
young  ladies  in  my  chemical  laboratory,  another 
keeps  house,  another  superintends  the  culinary  de- 
partment, so  that  there  is  a  division  of  labor  all 
around." 

Here  Miss  Incognita  spoke  a  few  words  to  Mary 
and  she  hastily  left  the  room  and  soon  returned  with 
a  dainty  tea  service,  from  which  she  served  tea  to 
her  mistress  and  the  lawyer  in  delicate,  hand-painted 


A  Single  Woman's  Establishment     197 

cups,  handling  a  plate  of  crisp,  beaten  biscuits  as 
an  accompaniment  of  the  tea. 

When  they  had  finished  with  the  tea  Miss  In- 
cognita said : 

"Now  if  you  will  come  with  me  I  will  show  you 
further  into  my  establishment."  She  led  him  through 
the  reception  .hall  and  out  of  a  door  which  opened 
behind  the  large  staircase,  and  then  dawn  a  long  hall 
until  they  came  to  a  comfortable  building  in  the  rear, 
which  was  entirely  separate  from  the  residence  ex- 
cept by  this  hall.  They  entered  this,  and  within  were 
at  least  a  dozen  women  of  various  ages  and  styles, 
but  all  respectable  looking,  who  were  -  engaged  in 
sewing  and  making  garments  of  various  kinds. 

"This,"  said  Miss  Incognita,  "is  my  permanent 
contribution  to  the  charity  fund.  These  ladies  are 
not  objects  of  charity;  oh,  no,  they  are  employed 
and  paid  by  me  to  do  this  work.  You  see,  it  gives 
them  much-needed  employment  and  remunerative 
labor.  The  garments  they  make  I  distribute  each 
week  among  the  need}'.  You  know  such  work  as 
this  is  my  religion." 

"I  assure  you,"  he  answered,  "that  what  you  say 
and  everything  I  have  seen  of  this  your  model  es- 
tablishment, have  interested  me  more  than  I  can 
express  to  you." 

"You  haven't  yet  told  me  whether  the  child  shall 
be  mine." 

"The  child  shall  ,be  yours."  The  latter  part  of 
this  conversation  had  been  carried  on  in  the  sewing- 
room  and  connecting  hall  while  they  vi-erc  slowly 


198  Miss  Incognita 

walking  -back  toward  the  main  body  of  the  residence. 

His  last  sentence  had  no  sooner  been  said  than 
they  heard  Mary  calling  them  in  an  excited  manner. 
They  hurried  back  into  the  house,  and  the  first  thing 
they  saw  on  reaching  the  reception  hall  was  a  large 
yellow-lblack,  motherly-looking  negress,  old  enough 
for  her  wool  to  be  whitish  and  her  figure  corpulent, 
sitting  upon  the  hall  sofa  with  a  bundle  of  rich 
shawls  in  her  lap,  out  of  which  bundle  was  pro- 
truding a  little  head  on  "which  there  was  a  knitted 
silk  cap.  Mary  Dundee  was  looking  down  into  the 
face  of  the  little  object,  exclaiming  in  broken  sen- 
tences: 

"Oh,  how  beautiful !  Why  did  you  bring  it  here  ? 
Where  did  it  come  from?  What  blue-black  eyes  it 
has?  You  say  it  is  going  to  stay  here1?" 

By  this  time  the  lawyer  and  Miss  Incognita  had 
arrived,  and  they  proceeded  to  examine  the  little  tot 
with  much  interest,  Miss  Incognita  making  various 
unconscious  exclamations,  and  among  them  saying: 
"Oh,  how  nice  it  is  to  have  a  sweet  little  baby  this 
way!"  She  was  engrossed  in  unbundling  the  little 
fellow,  crying  out  all  the  time:  "What  glossy  black 
hair!  What  large  blue-black  eyes!  What  rosy, 
dimpled  cheeks!  What  chubby  hands!  Why,  let 
me  have  him!  She  took  him  in  her  hands  and  tossed 
him  up,  and  fondled  him.  "And  just  to  think  he 
is  my  own,  and  I  shall  give  him  my  name !" 

By  this  time  the  baby  was  surrounded  by  a  half- 
dozen  handsome,  intellectual  young  ladies,  who 
seemed  to  pour  in  from  different  parts  of  the  house. 


A  Single  Woman's  Establishment     199 

all  of  them  taking  on  over  the  little  tot,  altogether 
oblivious  of  the  presence  of  Mr.  Fortune.  He  arose 
and  prepared  to  take  his  departure. 

Miss  Incognita  quickly  walked  to  him,  and  begged 
him  to  remain  longer,  but  he  replied: 

"Really,  Miss  Incognita,  I  find  myself  envying 
the  baby  so  much  that  I  thought  I  had  better  be  go- 
ing." 

"Ah,  what  a  pretty  compliment.  You  must  call 
again  to  see  how  the  little  fellow  is  getting  along." 

"With  much  pleasure.  What  name  will  you 
give  the  child?  You  know  we  must  insert  the  adop- 
ted name  in  the  order  of  court." 

"Of  course.  His  name  shall  be  'Eros  Incognita' — 
'Eros'  as  required  in  the  articles  of  the  adoption, 
and  'Incognita'  for  two  reasons:  First,  it  is  my 
name,  and  second,  it  fits  the  child's  case." 

These  matters  being  arranged  and  the  article  of 
the  adoption  having  been  signed,  the  lawyer  very 
cordially  bade  her  adieu. 

After  he  had  gone  she  made  the  old  nurse  re- 
move the  clothing  from  the  plump  little  body  of  the 
baby,  and  she  inspected  every  part  of  the  flesh  of 
this  little  piece  of  humanity.  She  seemed  to  be  un- 
conscious of  the  presence  of  the  old  negress,  for  as 
she  inspected  the  child's  body  she  uttered  such  words 
as  these: 

"Yes,  I'm  sure  that  mole  on  his  hip  was  on  his 
hip.  I  am  quite  sure  of  it.  I  would  know  the 
shape  of  ihis  foot  anywhere  and  it  was  very  like 
this  one.  Even  this  protruding  heel  is  Ms;  and  the 


200  Miss  Incognita 

way  the  big  toe  curved  out  from  the  second  toe,  this 
is  it!  He  had  the  same  shapely  limlb  that  tapered 
all  the  way,  and  this  small  ankle.  He  was  so  hand- 
some, and  how  I  loved  him!"  Here  she  sighed  and 
sobbed  and  her  beautiful  bosom  rose  and  fell  in 
quick  undulations,  and  her  whole  form  was  con- 
vulsed. 

The  old  negress  by  this  time  was  listening  and 
looking,  awestruck,  her  eyes  and  her  mouth  wide 
open,  as  though  lost  in  wonder.  "Why  did  I  not 
die  when  it  all  happened  and  thus  have  ended  all 
my  troubles !  What  can  be  bitterer  than  to  have  had 
love  and  enjoyed  it  long  enough  to  become  wedded 
to  it,  and  then  to  see  it  turn  away  from  you.  Oh, 
it  is  more  than  I  can  bear!  Why  was  he  so  unut- 
terably cruel  to  me?  Some  day  I  will  have  my  re- 
venge! I  will  not  strike  nor  kill  nor  poison — for.  if 
I  plunge  with  the  dagger  I  might  not  reach  the  heart! 
Oh!  I  must  torture  that  heart  as  he  tortured  mine!" 
Her  face  was  over  the  breast  of  the  little  child  and 
her  tears  rained  down  upon  it,  and  she  sobbed,  as 
only  a  woman  can  who  has  suffered  deeply.  Just 
at  this  instant  her  eyes  for  the  first  time  rested  upon 
the  letters  in  green  which  had  'been  tattooed  into  the 
skin  on  the  child's  breast !  Above  was  the  word 
"Eros," — followed  'by  a  dash,  and  beneath  this  word 
the  letters  "DU" — also  followed  by  a  dash.  Sho 
riveted  her  eyes  upon  these  mysterious  bright-given 
characters,  and  sat  motionless  for  some  time,  bringing 
to  bear  all  the  ingenuity  of  her  analytical,  penetrat- 
ing mind,  to  find  some  meaning  in  these  words; 


A  Single  Woman's  Establishment    201 

"Eros— 
Du—" 

"Why  should  these  words  have  been  pricked 
there?  There  must  be  meaning  in  them,  or  some 
others  would  have  been  used  instead?  What  do 
those  dashes  after  the  words  'Eros — '  and  'Du — '  mtean 
unless  they. show  that  they  are  connected  with  and 
their  meaning  completed  by  some  other  letters  or 
words  recorded  somewhere  else?  Where  are  they  re- 
corded? The  conclusion  is  irresistable,  that  the  bal- 
ance of  each  of  'these  words  or  names,  or  whatever 
they  were  intended  to  represent,  are  recorded  upon 
the  hody  of  the  other  child,  the  little  girl.  That  dash 
shows  that  the  words  are  not  complete  as  tattooed 
upon  the  breast  of  this  boy.  May  this  not  be  the 
reason  why  I  am  forbidden  in  the  articles  of  adop- 
tion from  seeking  this  child's  sister?"  All  this  was 
spoken  aloud  as  though  to  herself,  but  the  old  negress 
thought  her  new  mistress  was  questioning  her,  so 
at  this  point  she  gruffly  replied : 

"Lor',  Miss,  I   doan'  know." 

This  remark  caused  Miss  Incognita  to  realize  her 
surroundings,  and  called  -her  attention  to  the  old 
nurse.  So  she  asked  her  "Auntie,  what  is  your 
name?" 

"Jane,  Miss;   Jane  Huibbard  dey  calls  me." 

"Well,  then,  I  will  call  you  Aunt  Jane  and  you 
can  call  me  Miss  Innie." 

"Yes'um." 

"Where  have  you  been  living,  Aunt  Jane?" 

"I  did  use  to  live  down  Souf  wid  my  white  folkses 


202  Miss  Incognita 

but  arter  de  wa'  Massa  tuk  his  fam'ly  and  went  off, 
I  don't  know  whar,  an'  I  went  wid  'urn." 

"Did  you  go  to  another  country?" 

"Yes'um,  Miss  Inmie,  we  went  somewha'  ober 
de  sea  long  -way  off,  I  don't  know  what.  I  jus'  went 
on  wid  Massa's  folkses.  I  wusn't  keein'  whar  de 
went."  • 

"But  how  came  you  here  with  this  child?  Who 
gave  him  to  you  and  where1?" 

"Well,  wheresumever  I  was  at,  a  man  cum  to  me 
one  day  late  in  de  ebenin',  'bout  night,  wid  two 
misses  holdin'  sumthin'  in  their  arms  bundled  up, 
and  dey  cum  right  in  my  cabin  and  laid  de  bundles 
down  on  de  'bed.  He  said  de  nusses  would  stay  an' 
help  me  and  he  would  pay  me  money.  •  Dat's  how  I 
cum  by  dis  chile." 

"But  how  came  you  here  in  this  great  city  of  New 
York  with  these  fine  clothes  for  the  baby?" 

"Dis  chile  altogedder  stay  at  my  bouse  'bout  a 
mont'.  You  see  I  had  a  repitation  as  a  nuss  in'  all 
dem  parts,  so  I  guess  dat's  de  reason  why  dey  brung 
it  ter  me.  Soon  arter  de  chile  was  brung  dar,  a 
white  man  cum,  bringin'  a  'Gyptian  wid  'im — one  ob 
dese  conjurin'  'Gyptians — and  he  brung  a  long  bony 
bottle  ob  some  sort  of  stuff  and  a  funny  kind  of  a 
big  bony  needle.  And  de  white  man  he  say  ter  me, 
'Auntie,  you  go  outdoo's  behind  de  house  tell  I  calls 
you/  So  I  goed  out;  but  de  little  winder  at  de 
back  wus  up,  and  now  and  den  I  could  hear  dere 
words.  At  faist  de  chile  cried  mightily,  tell  it  made 
me  cry  to  hear  it,  an'  I  knowed  dat  'Gyptian  was 


A  Single  Woman's  Establishment    203 

doin'  somet'hin'  awful  to  de  chile.  Den  it  stopped 
arter  'while,  and  fer  long  time  it  didn't  cry  none 
at  all.  I  hyard  de  white  man  say:  "Now  tatter  so 
and  so  on  de  chile's  bress.  Dis  is  de  first  part  ob 
de  name  on  dis  chile  and  de  udder  on  de  gal  chile!' 
When  dey  lef ,  de  chillun  stayed  'sleep  all  de  day  long, 
and  arter  da.t  dey  bress  was  all  swelled  up  pow'r- 
ful,  an'  dey  cried  an'  cried,  and  had  de  highest 
fever,  tell  dey  got  oneasy  'bout  'um,  an'  brung  a 
man  what  dey  tol'  me  wuz  er  doctor,  and  give  de 
chillun  medicine  and  put  sumthin'  like  'intment  on 
'em.  De  doctor  seemed  pow'rful  oneasy  for  sum 
days  and  watched  de  chilun  mighty  close.  Bimeby 
dey  got  better,  an'  he  stop  cumin'.  Dey  sends  me 
de  bottled  milk  to  feed  'em,  and  so  on,  an'  dey  soon 
got  strong  ag'in.  One  day  a  man  eums  dar  and  axed 
me  ef'I  wouldn't  like  to  come  to  Errmericer  and  be  dis 
chile's  nuss.  Now,  yer  know,  Miss  Innie,  I  done  been  » 
dyin'  ter  cum  eber  since  Massa  died,  so  I  told  de  man 
what  axed  me  dat  I  would  cum.  So  dey  got  ever' 
thing  ready,  an'  one  day  a  sad-faced,  dried-up  kinder 
er  man  cum  an'  tuk  us  wid  'im  ter  de  ship  an  he 
cum  on  wid  us.  Now  de  God's  truf  dat's  all  I  know 
erbout  it." 

"Aunt  Jane,  would  you  know  that  doctor  if  you 
were  ever  to  see  him  again?" 

"Yes  'um,  dat  I  would,  and  hit  'pears  to  me 
more  an'  more  ever'  day  dat  dis  chile  is  er-growin' 
mortal  like  'im.  He  had  the  peculiarist  kind  of  a 
black  eye,  and  big  long  side-whiskers  and  clean 
chin,  and  his  hair  was  cut  short — 'but  I  could  see 


204  Miss  Incognita 

hit  was  black  too — -an'  his  hans  wus  sof  and  prim 
like,  and  'im  all  over  was  built  jes'  like  er  gurl, 
'ceptin'  he  was  heap  bigger  dan  a  gurl." 

"Did  you  notice  anything  pecuiar  about  his  left 
hand,  or  did  you  notice  a  large  dimple  in  his  chin?" 

"No  'urn,  Miss  Innie,  I  didn't  nebber  look  close 
enuf  ter  see  dem  little  things." 

"And  you  don't  know  where  that  was,  nor  the 
name  of  the  country?" 

"No  'urn,  Miss  Innie,  I  dus'n't.  All  I  knows  is 
dat  hit  wus  warm  and  dar  wusn't  no  winter  dar  all 
de  time  I  wus  dar.  And  de  people  all  had  white 
houses  built  outen  de  soft  rock,  what  dey  sawed  and 
worked  up  outen  de  erth." 

"Just  one  more  question,  Aunt  Jane,  and  I  won't 
keep  you  any  longer.  That  dried-up  man  who  eame 
with  you  on  that  ship,  have  you  seen  him  in  this  city 
since  you  came  here?" 

"Lor*,  yes'um,  Miss  Innie.  Dat  wus  'im  what  was 
here  wid  you  w'en  I  cum." 

At  this  information  Miss  Incognita  was  happily 
surprised,  for  it  gave  her  at  least  one  clue  to  work 
upon.  She  would  cultivate  the  lawyer.  She  knew 
she  could  get  much  information  out  of  him  without 
causing  him  to  commit  any  breach  of  the  profes- 
sional confidence  existing  between  a  lawyer  and  his 
client.  She  knew  he  would  delight  to  talk,  for  in- 
stance, of  his  travels  and  the  different  countries  he 
had  seen.  Now  she  was  determined  to  find  the  little 
girl  notwithstanding  she  had  aigreed  to  the  articles 
of  adoption  which  forbade  her  doing  so.  Though 
it*  was  now  late  in  the  afternoon,  she  determined  to 


A  Single  Woman's  Establishment    205 

drive  at  once  to  the  office  of  A.  Fee,  attorney,  whose 
advertisement  she  had  seen  in  the  World  concerning 
the  little  girl.  She  would  rather  surrender  her  life 
than  give  up  her  determination  to  find  this  child  and 
see  if  she  were  correct  as  to  her  conclusions. 

In  a  few  minutes  she  was  in  the  law  office  of  A. 
Fee,  attorney. 

As  she  entered,  she  saw  a  large-framed,  corpu- 
lent, big-headed,  clean-faced  man  of  about  fifty 
years  of  age,  with  steel-cold  gray  eyes.  His  hair 
was  thick  and  closely  cropped,  and  his  neck  short 
and  beefy.  He  was  altogether  just  the  opposite  in 
appearance  from  Steele  A.  Fortune,  Esq. 

Miss  Incognita,  upon  entering  the  private  office, 
handed  him  her  card,  saying: 

"This  is  Mr.  Fee,  I  suppose?" 

"That  is  my  name,  madam,"  he  replied,  piercing 
her  with  a  cold  look  out  of  his  cold,  steel-gray  eyes. 
"Pray  be  seated  and  announce  your  business." 

She  handed  him  the  advertisement  she  had  clipped 
from  the  World  concerning  the  little  girl. 

"This,  sir,  brought  me  here." 

"Sorry,  Miss  Incognita,  but  I  must  tell  you,  you 
are  too  late." 

"The  child  then  has  been  taken  ?  Will  you  please 
give  me  the  name  and  address  of  the  person  who 
has  her?" 

The  phlegmatic  lawyer  winched  in  his  chair,  as 
though  contending  with  himself,  and  after  a  mo- 
ment's hesitation  replied : 

"It  has  been,  and  is  my  unbroken   rule  never  to 
divulge  anything  that  occurs  in  my  office." 


206  Miss   Incognita 

"Could  you  give  me  the  person's  name  without  the 
address?" 

"I  must  again  beg  you  to  excuse." 

"Have  you  filed  the  petition  in  court  to  procure  the 
order  of  adpotionf  she  asked  with  an  assumed  air  of 
innocent  shyness. 

"Ahem-ah — Miss,  what  do  you  know  about  such 
proceedings.  You  seen  to — ah — • — " 

"To  know  something  about  such  things,  do  If 
she  exclaimed  with  the  merriest  chirp  and  laugh 
imaginable. 

The  lawyer  looked  at  her  in  a  quizzical  kind  of  a 
way  while  she  continued  : 

"You  see,  Mr.  Fee,  that  petition  is  a  public  paper, 
and  is  by  now,  doubtless,  filed  in  court.  If  you  will 
not  give  me  the  name  of  the  party  I  can  at  least  get 
it  there." 

"Oh,  well,  my  dear  Miss,  to  save  you  that  trouble 
I  will  vary  my  rule  just  this  once,  if  it  will  do  you 
any  good,  which  I  very  much  doubt.  The  name  is 
Mrs.  John  Smith." 

"Well,  really,  Mr.  Fee,  I  must  thank  you  for  such 
specific  information — you  are  very  kind,  sir." 

Miss  Incognita,  finding  she  could  get  no  further 
information,  and  having  judged  rightly  of  the 
imperviousness  of  this  ponderous  lawyer's  cranium, 
bade  him  a  confident  adieu,  to  which  he  responded 
with  more  gallantry  than  would  have  been  possible 
with  him  an  hour  ago.  As  she  left  the  office,  her 
resourceful  'brain  said  to  itself  and  through  itself  to 
A.  Fee,  Esq.,  "We  will  meet  again,  Mr.  Fee,  under 
different  circumstances." 


A  Lawyer  Outwitted  207 


CHAPTER  XX. 

A   LAWYER   OUTWITTED. 

SOME   time   after   the   events    related   in    the   last 
chapter,  a  bonny,  cheery-looking  girl  with  a  dainty 
cap  on  her  head  and  eye-glasses  on  her  nose  called 
at    Colonel    Fee's    office    seeking   employment    as    a 
stenographer  and   copyist.     When   she  went   in   she 
was  met  by  a  red-eyed  young  fellow,  who  informed 
her  that  the  lawyer  was  out  but  would  be  in  soon. 
"Then  I  will|wait  for  him,"  she  said. 
Finally  the  office  door  opened  and  banged  to,  and 
Colonel  Fee  was  in  his  office. 

He  looked»at  the  young  lady  quizzically  and  said : 
"Can  I  serve  you  in  any  way,  miss?" 
"No,  sir.     Colonel  Fee,  I  have  called  to  see  if  you 
would  let  me  serve  you." 

"Indeed,  miss,  I  don't  see  how  tkat's  possible." 
"I   am    seeking   employment    as    a    private   steno- 
rapher  and  copyist  and  felt  sure  I  could  find  it  with 
you." 

"Have  you  had  any  experience,  Miss  May?" 
"I  am  a  graduate  from   the  New  York  Business 
School,  sir,  and  have  had  enough  experience  to  give 
you  satisfaction,  if  you  will  try  me." 

"Call  again  in  the  morning,  then,  and  I  will  let 
you  know." 

The  next  morning  the  colonel  engaged  her  at  ten 


208  Miss  Incognita 

dollars  per  week,  and  put  her  at  the  work  of  copying 
interminable  law  briefs  and  dry  court  pleadings. 

The  second  day  thereafter,  after  she  had'  written 
fifty  or  more  folios,  the  colonel  came  in  to  see  how  she 
was  progressing,  and  she  said  to  him : 

"Colonel,  I  like  stenographic  work  better  than 
this." 

"Yes,  but  you  know,  Miss  May,  Sam  has  served  me 
in  that  capacity  so  long  I  would  hate  to  make  a 
change.  Besides,  that  work  includes  all  my  private 
correspondence,  and  I  have  learned  to  trust  Sam.  A 
lawyer  has  much  private  business  that  should  be  held 
in  strict  confidence." 

"True,  sir.    I  could  hold  it  that  way." 

"I  don't  say  you  couldn't,  Miss  May,  but  before  I 
would  even  trust  Sam  I  made  him  swear  to  k«ep  it." 

"I  can  swear,  too,  colonel." 

"You  know  girls  and  ladies  talk  more  than  men 
anyhow." 

"Well,  colonel,  that's  because  they  have  more  to 
talk  about,  you  know."  The  colonel  laughed  and 
turned  to  his  private  office. 

At  the  end  of  the  first  week,  the  colonel  and  Mr. 
Flipper  being  both  out  of  the  office,  she  went  into 
the  sacred  private  department,  and  searched  every- 
where for  the  letter  copying-book  and  letter  files, 
but  they  could  not  be  found.  She  examined  in  detail 
the  arrangement  of  this  office,  saying  to  herself,  "I 
want  to  see  how  I  sould  improve  on  it  and  run  it." 

Soon   Sam  came  in   and  she   said  to   him:   "Mr. 


A  Lawyer  Outwitted  209 

Flapper,  yon  look  as  if  you  need  rest.  Don't  you 
want  to  rest  a  while?  I  will  do  all  the  work." 

"Yes,  but  must  I  starve  in  the  meanwhile?" 

"I  will  get  Colonel  Fee  to  let  your  salary  go  right 
on,  on  the  condition  that  I  do  the  work  to  his  entire 
satisfaction.  The  way  for  you  is  to  be  ill  Monday, 
and  not  come.  If  I  don't  get  the  colonel  to  agree 
to  let  your  salary  continue,  I  will  write  you  a  note, 
so  you  can  come  back*  in  a  day  or  two.  If  you  don't 
hear  from  me  you  may  know  it  is  all  right.  See?" 

"I  will  do  it,  Miss  May,  but  how  can  I  allow  you 
to  do  so  much  for  me?  Why  should  you?" 

"Because  I  feel  for  you.  This  one  week's  work  on 
those  abominable,  dry  documents  suggests  to  me  how 
tired  you  must  be  when  you  have  been  at  it  for 
years.  Now  there  is  one  thing  I  shall  expect  of  you : 
If  I  get  behind  on  that  copying  in  there,  I  will  send 
it  home  to  you  and  you  must  help  me;  vou  under- 
stand?" 

"Why,  yes,  Miss  May,  I  will  do  that ;  but  remem- 
ber all  of  that  copying  isn't  so  pressing,  so  don't 
worry  about  that  too  much." 

"We  understand  each  other.  I  won't  crowd  that, 
I  assure  you." 

During  -the  next  month  Colonel  Fee  enjoyed  the 
beautiful  work  and  improved  services  of  Miss  May — 
at  the  same  -time  deriving  no  little  pleasure  from  the 
beauty,  brightness  and  wit  of  the  piquant  little  miss. 

The  satisfaction  she  gave  had  been  so  perfect  that 
the  lawyer  forgot  he  had  ever  employed  Sam.  As 
the  second  month's  work  began,  she  wrote  to  Sam 


210  Miss  Incognita 

enclosing  the  letter  in  the  same  envelope  in  which  was 
Colonel  Fee's  check  for  the  month's  salary. 

"DEAR  MR.  FLIPPERS  :  Everything  is  all  arranged 
for  you  to  rest  another  month.  So  don't  be  in  a 
hurry  to  return  until  you  hear  further  from  me. 

"Very  truly,  MAY  CONWAY." 

Sam  read  the  letter,  saying:  "Well,  I'll  be  blessed!" 
Before  the  end  of  the  first  week  of  the  second 
month  a  letter  was  received  by  Colonel  Fee,  and  an 
answer  dictated  to  Miss  May,  which  caused  her  to 
feel  such  inward  excitement  that  her  hand  could 
never  have  taken  down  the  words  had  it  not  been  so 
thoroughly  trained  that  it  did  it  automatically. 

After  the  lawyer  left,  she  took  copies  of  both 
letters  and  stuffed  them  in  the  bosom  of  her  dress. 
She  then  folded  the  one  written  by  her  arid  signed 
by  the  lawyer,  and  putting  it  in  an  envelope  wrote 
the  following  name  and  address  upon  it: 

"Mrs.  John  Smith, 

2019  Fifth  Avenue,  City." 

At  the  same  time  she  mailed  this  letter,  she  mailed 
one  to  Mr.  Flipper  as  follows: 

"DEAR  MR.  FLIPPER:  Circumstances  over  which 
I  have  no  control  prevent  me  from  continuing  in  the 
colonel's  employment  any  longer.  You  will  please 
resume  your  duties  in  the  morning.  Say  to  the 


A  Lawyer  Outwitted  2 1 1 

colonel  I  thank  him  for  his  many  kindnesses  and 
especially  for  his  last  great  favor  shown  me  this 
afternoon.  I  thank  you  also,  and  wish  you  much 
prosperity  after  your  delightful  rest.  Good-bye. 

"Yours  truly,  MAY  CONWAY." 

The  next  morning  the  lawyer  was  surprised  and 
disappointed  at  the  turn  affairs  had  taken,  and 
when  Sam  showed  him  the  letter  he  was  more  sur- 
prised and  disappointed  than  ever. 

"Why,  Sam,  she  hasn't  even  drawn  a  dollar  of 
her  salary.  There's  something  funny  about  that 
girl." 

Sam  found  his  employer  irritable  and  hard  to 
please  for  a  week  or  so. 


2 1 2  Miss  Incognita 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

THE    CALL    ON    MRS.    JOHN    SMITH. 

"WELL,  really,  Miss  Innie,  you's  been  erway  from 
dis  chile  so  much  heah  lately  dat  hit  looks  like  you's 
gwine  ter  disert  'im  too.  I  declar'  he  done  inos 
ferget  you." 

"Yes,  Aunt  Jane,  I  am  overjoyed  at  the  termina- 
tion of  the  work  I  hlave  been  engaged  in,  and  to  know 
of  its  success.  I  couldn't  have  accomplished  every- 
thing more  to  my  purpose  than  I  have  done.  But 
rest  assured  I  will  not  have  to  leave  you  that  way 
any  more." 

"Ef  you  don't,  Miss  Innie,  I  sho'  will  be  glad. 
Ter  tell  you  de  truf,  dat  whatsomever  you  been 
er-doin'  de  last  three  months  been  tellin'  on  you' 
looks,  an'  I's  ben  oneasy  'bout  you." 

The  day  after  Miss  Incognita  left  the  lawyer's 
office  she  called  on  Mrs.  John  Smith  at  2019  Fifth 
Avenue,  whom  she  found  to  be  a  woman  of  refine- 
ment and  wealth.  Her  handsome  home  had  all  the 
appointment  of  taste,  luxury  and  convenience. 

She  had  wealth  sufficient  for  all  purposes,  and 
did  not  display  it  in  ministering  to  a  false  and  ex- 
travagant social  ambition.  She  was  open-hearted 
and  cordial  in  her  manner.  Wherefore,  Miss  Incog- 
nita found  no  trouble  in  making  her  acquaintance 
nor  in  winning  her  warm  and  confidential  friendship 
in  a  short  time. 


The  Call  on  Mrs.  John  Smith      213 

"Have  you  a  husband  and  family,  Mrs.  Smith?" 

"A  husband,  but  no  children  of  my  own.  I 
adopted  a  little  girl  some  months  ago." 

"Why.  indeed?" 

"Yes,  and  there  are  some  funny  things  about  the 
child.  The  way  we  oame  to  adopt  her  was  from 
seeing  an  advertisement  in  the  New  York  World 
put  in  by  a  lawyer  named  Fee.  It  stated  that  the 
child  was  of  excellent  lineage,  and  the  father,  who- 
ever he  was  the  Lord  only  knows,  settled  a  good 
fortune  upon  her  and  required  a  lot  of  foolish  and 
unreasonable  things  of  me  as  the  adopted  mother." 

"Why,  isn't  that  strange?" 

"But  there  is  something  stranger  than  that." 

"Pray,  what  is  this?" 

"I  will  just  let  you  see  for  yourself.  Miss  Incog- 
nita. Maybe  you  can  make  something  out  of  it.  I 
hope  you  can,  for  I  can't."  Here  Mrs.  Smith  touched 
a  bell  and  in  a  moment  or  two  the  nurse  came  in, 
bringing  the  child. 

As  the  nurse  entered  the  room,  Miss  Incognita 
arose  from  her  ehair, .  saying:  "May  I  hold  her? 
Won't  the  baiby  come  to  me?  Oh,  what  exquisite 
violet  eyes,  and  long  dark  lashes  over  them.  My! 
what  a  large,  round,  full  chin  she  has!" 

"Yes,  and  you  know,  Miss  Incognita,  when  she 
cries  or  laughs  with  much  feeling,  a  beautiful  dimple 
°orrms  itself  in  the  center  of  her  chin." 

"Ah,  that  dimple  is  so  suggestive !"  said  Miss 
"ncognita,  with  a  peculiar,  tremulous  voice  full  of 
Jeeling,  as  her  eyes  scanned  every  feature  of  the 


214  Miss  Incognita 

child's  head  and  face.  "But  where  is  your  riddle 
and  puzzle,  Mrs.  Smith?  I  see  nothing  but  a  beauti- 
ful child." 

"Look  here  and  I  will  show  you."  And  she  undid 
the  little  dress.  Then  turning  the  child  flat  on  its 
back,  she  said :  "Look,  Miss  Incognita,  and  pray  tell 
me,  if  you  can,  what  this  means." 

She  bent  over  the  child  and  there  she  saw  extended 
across  both  the  tiny  breasts  these  characters 
tattooed  in  green : 

"—Love. 
—Mas." 

the  one  beneath  the  other  and  a  dash  in  front  of 
each.  In  a  moment  all  of  Miss  Incognita's  imagin- 
ings and  suspicions  merged  themselves  into  a  stu- 
pendous fact.  To  these  characters  on  this  little  girl 
she  added  those  upon  the  breast  of  the  little  boy  and 
in  her  mind  she  saw  this  combination : 

"Eros — love. 
Du — mas." 

All  was  at  once  clear  to  her.  These  were  his  hvo 
names.  Having  passed  from  the  world  as  "Dumas," 
he  was  now  doubtless  known  by  his  real  name, 
"Eroslove."  There  were  many  strange  things  that 
had  happened  in  this  world,  but  this  was  the  most 
wonderful  to  her  that  she  should  have  been  directed 
first  to  her  own  adopted  son,  and  then  to  this  child, 
and  that  her  eyes  should  have  thus  demonstrated  the 
one  fact  for  which  her  mind  and  heart  had  yearned 
and  yearned. 


The  Call  on  Mrs.  John  Smith       215 

"Well,  realty,  Mrs.  Smith,  this  is  one  of  the 
strangest  things  I  ever  saw." 

•'You  must  call  to  see  me.  I  have  followed  your 
example  without  knowing  it,  by  also  adopting-  a  child. 
Mine  is  a  little  boy.  I  cannot  give  you  the  same 
romantic  account  of  him  and  his  origin  as  you  have 
given  of  the  girl,  but  I  assure  you  he  is,  notwith- 
standing, a  fine  little  fellow." 

"•Isn't  it  a  funnj  coincidence  that  we  both  should 
have  adopted  xue  same  easy  plan  to  have  ourselves 
called  mother  f 

"But  I  am  sure  we  will  love  and  enjoy  them  as 
much  as  if  they  were  our  own  children." 

At  this  point  Miss  Incognita  bade  her  newly-made 
and  most  valued  friend  adieu,  ^and  was  soon  at  her 
own  home. 

From  this  day  began  a  close  and  intimate  friend- 
ship between  these  two  ladies  which  was  destined  to 
last  for  years. 


216  Miss  Incognita 


CHAPTER  XXH. 

A   REVELATION. 

A  DEEP  and  steadfast  determination  is  rarely  harsh 
and  tumultuous  in  encompassing  the  end  it  has  in 
view,  but  is  often  slow  and  deliberate,  as  it  moves  on 
to  the  accomplishment  of  its  purpose. 

So  Miss  Incognita  did  not  'become  unduly  im- 
patient, nor  despair,  as  the  years  flew  by  with  out  any 
further  information  being  vouchsafed  unto  her. 

While  Mr.  Fortune,  the  attorney  was  as  kind  to  her 
as  he  could  be,  he  always  pleaded  professional  honor 
and  secrecy  as  the  reason  why  he  could  not  disclose 
to  her  the  fact  she  so  much  desired  to  know.  So  one 
day  when  he  called  on  her — as  he  did  rather  oftener 
than  she  desired,  she  introduced  the  subject  of  travel- 
ing, and  asked  him : 

"Mr.  Fortune,  when  did  you  last  take  a  trip  at 
sea?" 

Unthoughtedly  he  replied :  "Some  years  ago  when 
I  was  called  on  business  to  the  Bermuda  Islands." 
He  had  no  sooner  said  it  than  his  face  changed  color, 
which  she  detected  at  once. 

"Did  you  spend  much  time  there?" 

"No,  madam,  I  was  there  but  a  week  or  two,"  he 
jiswered  rather  curtly,  as  though  desiring  to  drop 
the  subject.  Then  she  said  laughing: 

"Now  I  am  going  to  ask  vou  if  that  isn't  ti 


A  Revelation  217 

from  which  you  brought  my  boy  and  his  old  negro 
nurse,  for  she  says  you  came  with  her." 

"Really,  Miss  Incognita,  I  must  ask  you  to  excuse 
me  on  this  point."  He  looked  out  of  the  window 
and  seemed  to  be  in  a  deep  study  for  a  moment  or 
two,  and  then  added:  "But  after  thinking  the  matter 
over,  I  don't  think  I  will  commit  a  breach  of  pro- 
fessional confidence  now  by  answering  you.  Yes, 
that  was  the  place." 

A  week  later  Miss  Incognita  took  passage  to  the 
Islands  of  Bermuda.  There  she  spent  a  week,  during 
which  time  she  was  actively  engaged  making  inquiries 
everywhere  to  asceiiain  if  any  one  by  the  name 
of  Eroslove  or  Dumas  had  ever  lived  in  the  island. 
She  could  hear  nothing  of  such  a  person  on  the  main 
island,  but  did  learn  fact  number  three — which  was 
that  an  island  of  considerable  size  there  was  known 
as  the  "Eroslove  Plantation."  This  tended  to  con- 
firm her  in  former  surmises  she  had  that  he  was  of  a 
family  of  wealth  and  influence,  whose  possessions 
were  of  an  extensive  character. 

She  went  to  this  island  but  found  no  r>ne  on  it 
except  an  ignorant  black  family,  who  knew  nothing 
more  about  their  landlord  than  the  fact  that  they 
"bad  hyeard  he  lived  summers  'cross  de  sea" — 
whether  in  America  or  England  they  did  not  know. 

She  was  about  taking  her  departure,  when  she 
observed  a  peculiar  figure  moving  about  among  the 
cedars  near  a  small  rabin.  It  was  the  old  Egyptian. 
He  was  now  very  old,  and  it  seemed  a  miracle  that  he 
was  a)'**" 


218  Miss   Incognita 

As  Miss  Incognita  came  close  to  him  he  raised  his 
bowed  form  and  head  to  observe  her.  She  was  awe- 
struck at  the  sight  of  this  ghostly  appearance.  He 
spoke  in  time  to  prevent  her  flying  from  him,  and 
said: 

"Yeah,  yeah,  by  de  holy  waters  ob  de  Nile,  ef  hit 
ain't  de  sweet  Missus  done  come  heah !  Ybung 
Missus,  did  Marse  Henry  come  wid  you?"  he  asked, 
peering  into  her  eyes  out  of  his  sunken  Saffron  orbs. 

"Why,  poor  old  man,  I  don't  know  what  you  mean. 
Who  are  yon1?"  she  asked  with  her  voice  full  of  pity 
and  compassion. 

"Dat's  so,  young  Missus,  you  don't  know  nothing 
erbout  me.  I  is  old  Gymp.  Some  on  'em  call?  me  de 
ole  Egyptian,  and  some  ole  Gymp  xle  Conjurer.  I 
ain't  gwine  to  do  you  no  harm,  Missus.  You  see  I 
knows  Marster  Henry  and  T  knows  you  and 

"Why,  old  man,"  she  interrupted,  "I  aim  sure  you 
don't  know  me  and  I  don't  know — 

"Yeah,  yeah,  Missus,  I  knowed  and  seed  you  de 
time  when  Marster  Henry  wus  here  wid  de  ehiluns — 
oh,  I  wud  er  knowed  you  ergain  .anywhar.  Don't 
say  I  didn't  see  you  and  know  you,  cat  time  when 
Marster  Henry  come  er-talkin'  ter  me  erbaut  dem 
vibratoners,  and  what  he  wanted  to  do  wid  Missus 
and  de  ehiluns." 

At   this   point   Miss     Incognita     asked    excitedly : 

"Why,  dear  old  man,  you  mistake  i^e  for  some  one 
else.  What  do  you  know  about  vibratoners  and  such 
things?" 

"Yeah,  Missus,  I  knows  heaps  mo'  dan  I  can  tell 


A  Revelation  219 

you.  Long  time  ergo  Marster  Henry  wus  in  Egypt 
whar  I  lived,  and  I  taught  'im  all  he  eber  knowed 
'bout  vibratoners  and  sich  things — and  I  found  out 
flat  he  broke  his  oath  I  made  him  take  erbout  not 
using  what  I  bold  'im  for  evil, — and  when  he  wants 
me  ter  tell  'im  more,  so  he  can  ben'  de  young  Missus 
ter  his  will,  and  I  won'  do  it,  he  gits  mad,  and 
den " 

"And,  poor  Gymp,  ah,  good  old  man" — she  began 
with  much  feeling  and  sad  music  in  her  voice, — "did 
you  really  teach  him  all  those  things,  and  could  you 
teach  me  as  much — as  much — yes,  more  than  you 
taught  him?" 

"Yeah,  young  Missus,  I  will  show  you  eberything, 
all  I  know — mo',  mo',  yes,  mo'  dan  Marster  Henry 
eber  knowed  erbout.  You  needn't  ask  me,  Missus, 
why  you  want  ter  know  hit  all,  fer  I  know  already- 
I  done  seed  how  you  suffer,  and  how  Marster 
Henry— 

"But  my  dear  old  Gymp,  who  is  Marster  Henry? 
You  haven't  told  me  yet?" 

"No'm,  I  ain't  tole  you,  'cause  you  know  'im  too 
well  now — more'n  you  wanted  ter  know  when  he 
made  you  suffer  so.  I  done  seed  hit  all,  and  you  er 
huntin'  'im  now,  and  you  er  gwine  ter  find  'im — I  see 
hit  all — and  you  gwine  ter  punish  'im  too — and  he 
ought  ter  suffer — and  I'm  gwine  ter  show  you  some 
things  you  ought  ter  know." 

"Gymp,  Gymp!"  she  cried  out  excitedly,  "how  did 
you  know  all  this?  You  say  I  aim  going  to  find  him 
and  have  my  revenge — my  s^-eet  revenge?" 


220  Miss  Incognita 

"Yes,  Missus,  I  say  so.  And  you  will.  But  he  is 
stronger  dan  you,  and  you  will  need  ter  know  what 
I  gwine  ter  tell  you.  When  de  time  comes — I  see  hit ! 
You  will  hab  'im  wid  you,  and  you  will  be  'bliged  ter 
ben'  'im  ter  yer  will — yeah,  ha !  ha !  ha !  I  say  ter 
ben'  'im  ter  yer  will — den  you  will  want  to  know  what 
I'm  gwine  ter  tell  you.  You  do  jes'  as  I  tell  you 
will  hab  'im  when  de  time  comes.  I  ain't  got  no  hate 
fer  Marster  Henry,  but  he's  done  wrong  and  cruel 
ter  de  young  Missus,  and  done  broke  his  oath,  and 
he  got  ter  suffer.  And  den  think  how  he  done  dem 
chilun — and  ef  I  kin  help  out  de  young  Missus  I's 
gwine  ter  do  hit."  Here  Gymp  proceeded  to  teach 
Miss  Incognita  the  secrets  of  his  art,  which  he 
wanted  her  to  know.  There  must  have  been  much  of 
it ;  for  he  talked  to  her  a  long  time,  and  she  ques- 
tioned him  on  many  points.  In  conclusion,  he  gave 
her  a  bottle  containing  some  lotion  and  said :  "If  you 
is  bledged  ter  do  it  in  his  case,  you  kin  use  dis  ter 
bring  on  de  quiet,  natural  sleep.  Yeah,  he  will  sleep 
under  dis — den,  from  dis  natural  sleep  you  kin  carry 
'im,  as  I  done  showed  you,  into  de  'sleep  of  Isis.' 
Yeah,  young  Missus,  you  kin  ben'  'im  ter  you  will 
and  he  will  do  what  you  say  ter  'im.  Remember,  do 
as  I  say  ter  you !" 

"Yes,  yes,  Gymp,  every  word.  And  you  say  he 
does  not  know  what  you  have  taught  me,  and  that, 
therefore,  he  can't  resist  me?" 

"No,  young  Missus,  he  don't  know  but  a  small  part 
ob  it.  He  knows  erbout  dem  vibratoners,  and  what 
dey  used  fer,  but  de  uther  he  don't — and  .you  will 


A  Revelation  221 

want  to  use  dem  vibratoners  too — they  will  do 
dey  part." 

Here  Gymp  made  a  low  bow  and  started  away, 
but  Miss  Incognita  stopped  him,  saying:  "Wait  a 
moment,  Gymp.  Take  this  purse — you  will  need  it, 
and  before  you  leave  me,  tell  me  where  is  your 
Marster  Henry  now?" 

"Young;  Missuss,  all  I  know  is  he  live  way'  cross 
de  sea  in  de  white  man's  land,  but  I  ain't  nebar  bin 
dar.  I  ain't  neber  worried  to  know  erbout  de  name 
ob  de  place,  'cause  I  neber  'spected  ter  go  dar.  But 
you  needn't  worry,  you'se  giwine  ter  find  'ira  in  good 
time.  Jes'  keep  on  and  don't  give  up.  I  done  seed 
hit  all!" 

"Oh,  Gymp,  let  me  thank  you  a  thousand  times 
for  what  you  have  done  for  me  today.  Good-bye. 
May  the  remainder  of  your  days  be  peaceful  and 
happy.  She  took  his  wrinkled,  bony  hand  »:>d  shools 
it,  and,  as  she  did  so,  the  old  man  bent  down  and 
touched  his  lips  to  her  hand,  then  gave  her  his  bene- 
diction and  went  away. 

In  the  ordinary  course  and  trend  of  human  event?, 
when  one  after  another  the  routine  duties  of  life 
press  upon  us,  the  passage  of  time,  while  imper- 
ceptible, is  still  very  rapid.  We  do  not  realize  the 
velocity  of  this  intermediate,  connecting  stream  of 
flowing  between  the  two  great  oceans  of  eternity,  the 
past  and  the  future,  until  we  chance  to  look  back 
over  the  way  we  have  been  coming,  and  lo!  the 
distance  behind  us  has  become  great. 

xMiss  Incognita  knew  how  to  work  and  to  vrait,  and 


222  Miss  Incognita 

the  stream  of  time  bore  her  along  on  its  'bosom  with 
the  rest  of  mankind;  but  she  did  not  grow  any  older! 

There  is  not  much  to  chronicle  in  the  years  of  child- 
hood. The  leading  features  in  the  lives  of  most 
children  are  about  the  same. 

Eros  was  growing  up  to  be  a  good,  docile  boy.  His 
mother  would  sometimes  say,  "He  has  a  jolly,  light 
heart  just  like —  "  and  then  turn  her  face  away 
from  the  one  to  which  she  was  talking,  as  if  she  were 
trying  to  conceal  an  expression  of  pain.  "By  the  time 
he  was  ten  years  of  age  he  was  so  well  advanced  in 
his  studies  that  his  mother  entered  him  in  a  select 
private  school.  In  this  same  school  as  a  pupil  was 
Gamaliel  Smith,  the  little  adopted  daughter  of  Mrs. 
John  Smith. 

Miss  Incognita  had  taken  pains  for  some  reason 
or  other  to  keep  them  apart  before  this  time.  While 
she  and  Mrs.  John  Smith  often  visited  each  other, 
and  were  the  closest  of  friends,  yet  the  children  were 
kept  apart.  What  her  reason  was  the  reader  must 
divine  for  himself.  $ut  there  was  one  fact  that 
happened,  be  the  cause  what  it  may — as  soon  as  Eros 
met  Gamaliel  he  claimed  her  for  his  sweetheart,  and 
she  did  not  object.  There  is  more  romance  among 
children  from  ten  years  old  and  up  than  grown 
people  ever  dream  of,  unless  they  happen  to  remem- 
ber their  own  little  sentimental  lives  when  they  were 
children. 

The  sequel  alone  can  show  what  she  had  in  view. 

Year  by  year  the  children  grew  in  mind  and  'body, 
and  Miss  Incognita  waited  and  watched! 


A  Revelation  223 

She  was  busy  all  the  time,  for  her  business  interests 
seemed  to  have  grown,  and  her  increasing  evidences 
of  wealth  was  the  talk  of  many. 

But  her  attention  to  business  produced  no  frowns 
on  her  brow,  nor  invited  wrinkled  care  to  a  siesta  on 
her  cheeks. 

She  never  doubted  the  time  would  come,  but  lived 
in  anticipation  of  it,  and  thus  in  keen  enjoyment  of 
it,  as  does  the  youth  who  builds  castles  for  the  future 
and  expects  soon  to  realize  them  and  possess  them. 


224  Miss  Incognita 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 

THE    EVENTS    OF    THE    YEAR    1889. 

IT  is  not  necessary  to  delay  the  inevitable  culmina- 
tion of  events  in  order  to  give  the  details  of  the 
school  life  of  Eros  and  Gamaliel. 

They  were  in  the  same  class,  and  there  was  a 
rivalry  between  them  in  the  curriculum  of  books, 
and  also  in  the  curriculum  of  love. 

When  she  was  thirteen,  Gamaliel  was  the  sweetest, 
prettiest  little  nymph  of  a  girl  imaginable.  Her 
deep,  violet  eyes  seemed  to  have  grown  greater  in 
their  wealth  of  loveliness.  Her  eye-brows  were  dark 
and  arched  like  the  dome  of  a  minature  sky. 

When  she  and  Eros  were  sixteen  they  were  in- 
separable. 

Miss  Incognita  encouraged  them  in  their  nftection. 
Yet  she  never  hinted  to  them  of  the  relationship 
existing  between  them. 

Was  she  conducting  an  experiment,  and  testing 
the  unaided  instincts  of  nature?  Is  the  passion  of 
sex  for  sex  even  eliminated  except  when  there  is  the 
conscious  relation  of  brother  and  sister,  which  has 
existed,  and  been  known,  since  infancy?  Is  it  not 
this  knowledge  and  this  association  in  the  family, 
beginning  with  infancy,  which  eliminates  the  potent 
power  and  attraction  of  sex? 

Could  she  then  attempt  to  conduct  this  experiment, 


The  Events  of  the  Year  1889       225 

j 

trusting  only  to  the  subliminal  instinct,  as  it  were,  of 
the  blood  itself? 

Time  alone  will  show. 

•        •  ••  ••  »•• 

The  next  year  Eros  and  Gamaliel  would  be  seven- 
teen. One  day  their  teacher  sent  the  following  note 
to  Miss  Incognita: 

FORTY-FOURTH  STREET  ACADEMY, 

"June  16,  1889. 

"DEAR  Miss  INCOGNITA:  I  think  it  my  duty  to 
advise  you  thiat  it  would  be  prudent  for  your  son 
Eros  and  Miss  Gamaliel  Smith  to  be  sent  to  different 
schools.  Not  that  their  conduct  has  as  yet  been 
rash,  not  that —  but  their  constant  attachment  and 
association  with  each  other  are  too  pronounced  and 
demonstrative  to  be  productive  of  good  to  them. 
Besides,  I  fear  it  will  have  an  untoward  influence 
upon  the  other  boys  and  girls  in  the  school,  who  must 
observe  them. 

al  have  written  a  similar  note  to  Mrs.  Smith. 
"Very  respectfully, 

"T.  J.  IRVINE,  Teacher. 

The  next  d'ay  he  received  the  following  reply  from 
Miss  Incognita : 

"DEAR  MR.  IRVINE:  Your  note  received.  I  have 
conferred  with  Mrs.  Smith,  and  we  both  prefer  for 
Eros  and  Gamaliel  to  continue  together  in  your 
school  for  this  term. 

"Respectfully, 
"City,  June  17,  1889."  "Miss  INCOGNITA. 


226  Miss  Incognita 

In  the  early  fall  of  1889  the  following  advertise- 
ment appeared  in  one  of  the  New  York  dailies: 

"Stock  for  sale  in  a  paying  enterprise,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  increasing  the  business.  Address  Lock  Box 
100,  Chicago,  111." 

In  a  few  days  a  letter  was  received  by  Miss  Incog- 
nita from  Chicago,  and  then  she  quickly  dispatched 
this  note: 

"FIFTH  AVENUE,  CITY. 

"DEAR  SIR  :  Your  letter  of  two  weeks  ago  to  my 
Chicago  agent  has  been  referred  to  me.  Will  you 
have  the  kindness  to  call  and  see  me  at  my  residence. 
By  doing  so  you  will  greatly  oblige, 

"Respectfully  yours, 

"Miss  INCOGNITA. 
"To  ARCHIE  SNOB,  E^       JIty. 
"Sept.  12,  1889."  * 

The  next  morning  Mr.  Archie  Snob  called.  She 
met  him  in  her  library,  which  she  used  for  her  busi- 
ness office.  After  they  had  exchanged  the  usual 
formal  compliments,  he  said  : 

"I  presume  your  agent  has — ah — informed  you  of 
the  contents  of  me  letter.  I  saw  the  advertisement 
in  one  of  the  city  appers  which  I  answered." 

"Yes,  Mr.  Snob,  he  sent  me  your  letter,  and  as 
soone  as  I  received  it,  I  wrote  you.  Matter?  of  im- 
portance like  this,  connected  with  business,  I  like  to 
give  my  personal  attention." 


The  Events  of  the  Year  1889      227 

"All  of  which  demonstrates  your — ah — prudence 
and  good  judgment,  madam.  Now,  I  live  in  England 
— that  is — aw — in  London,  you  know,  and  me  ordin- 
ary affairs  I  entrust  to  me  American  agents.  But 
— ah — in  important  matters,  I  come  over  once — 
ah — or  twice  a  year,  don't  you  know,  from  London, 
to  attend  to  them — ah — myself." 

"So  you  spend  much  of  your  time  in  England1?" 

"Aw — yes,  madam,  I — aw — really  live  in  London. 
Me  residence  is — ah — at  the  Marlborough  Club 
rooms.  Me  investments  are  mostly — ah — in  America. 
Having  now — ah — a  considerable  accumulation  of 
money  from  me  estates,  I — am  looking  out  for  a 
good  investment." 

Without  waiting  to  sound  him  on  the  question  of 
investment,  she  continued  on  another  line : 

"Are  you  well  acquainted  in  London  ?" 

"Yes,  madaan,  me  acquaintance  is  not  as  extensive 
as  it  is  select.  I  do  not — ah— seek  an  ordinary  line 
of  acquaintance.  The  Marlborough  Club,  you  know 
— ah — is  composed  altogether  of  the  upper  set  of  the 
nobility.  Count  Antignolio,  the  distinguished  Italian 
nobleman,  was  a  member — ah — there,  until  he  gave 
up  his  London  residence — aw —  and  returned  to  Italy. 
He  was  one  of  me  bosom  friends,  ah — and  was  always 
delighted  to  play  baccarat  with  me.  I  regretted  very 
much — ah — when  he  left  London  some  years  ago, 
soon  after  his  return  from  a  voyage  with  *Lord 
Eroslove  to  the  Bermudas." 

Notwithstanding  Miss  Incognita  had  extraordinary 


228  Miss   Incognita 

self-control,  she  became  visibly  excited.  She  did 
her  best  to  control  her  voice  and  to  keep  from  appear- 
ing- in  too  much  haste  to  question  him  further. 

"You  mentioned  the  name  Lord  Eroslove,  I 
believe?  I  think  I've  often  heard  of  him, —  (though 
she  had  never  heard  the  name  called  before  in  all 
her  life).  "Did  you  ever  make  the  acquaintance  of 
this  Lord  Eroslove?" 

"Oh,  yes,  madam,  I  am  quite — -aw — as  intimate 
with  him  as  I  was  with  the  Count.  You  know — aw 
— he  it  was  who  presented  me  to  the  Prince  of  Wales 
at — aw — one  of  his  royal  levees." 

"Then  he  still  lives  in  London  ?" 

"Yes,  madam.  He  is  a  bachelor  and  has  rooms — 
aw — you  know,  at  the  Marlborough  Club  Mansion, 
where  I  am  thrown  with  him — aw —  very  much." 

Miss  Incognita  was  too  shrewd  to  excite  Mr.  Archie 
Snob's  suspicions  by  exhibiting  an  unwonted  interest 
in  the  personality  of  .Lord  Eroslove.  But  she 
determined  to  make  Mr.  Snob  her  friend,  in  order 
to  learn  all  from  him. 

"With  reference  to  this  business  matter  on  which 
I  asked  you  to  call — my  agent  has  ah*9«dy  sufficiently 
acquainted  you  with  the  nature  of  it,  I  believe?" 

"Yes,  madam,  quite  fully.  Upon  me  special — ah — 
request,  he  was  kind  enough  to  let  me  agent  see  the 
books,  and  he  informed  me — ah — the  earnings  have 
been  large — ah — very  flattering." 

"All  this,  of  course,  Mr.  Snob,  you  will  keep  in 
strict  confidence,  even  if  you  should  make  no  invest- 
ment in  the  stock.  You  will  understand,  I  do  not 


The  Events  of  the  Year  1889       229 

care  to  have  the  secrets  of  my  business  made  known 
to  the  public." 

"Of  course,  madam,  you  can  depend  upon  me  in 
this  matter." 

"I  started  this  business  through  the  aid  of  a  dear 
friend  in  1870.  My  beginning  was  small,  but  the 
article  of  my  discovery  and  manufacture  and  sale 
became  at  once  so  popular  that  the  business  grew 
wonderfully.  My  friend  and  I  soon  formed  a  stock 
company,  I  owning  two-thirds  of  the  stock  and  he 
one-third.  It  was  but  two  years  thereafter  until  we 
had  to  double  the  size  of  our  plant.  Since  then  the 
growth  has  been  proportionately  rapid.  We  have 
increased  the  capital  stock  $100,000.  This  makes 
our  capital  stock  one  million  dollars.  The  business 
now  pays  ten  per  cent,  on  this  capital,  besides  laying 
aside  a  surplus." 

"A  wonderful  record,  madam — wonderful.  But 
no  more  so  than  your  discovery.  It  is  strange  you 
have  kept  the  fact  that — iaw — you  are  the  discoverer 
of  this — ah — wonderful  preparation  a  secret  from 
the  public.  I  am  informed  it  is  a — ah — great  blessing 
to  mankind,  this — a-w — discovery  of  yours.  On  wfrat 
basis  can  this  stock  be  bought?" 

"I  will  instruct  my  agent  to  issue  you  the  shares 
for  a  premium  of  25  per  cent.  Should  it  not  prove 
for  you  a  ten  per  cent,  investment,  I  will  take  the 
stock  from  you  at  any  time  on  the  same  terms  on 
which  you  bought  it." 

"A  very  fair  proposition.  Miss  Incognita,  and  one 
which  meets  me — >aw — hearty  .approval.  I  will  take 


230  Miss  Incognita 

the  stock  on  your  terras  at  once.  Where  and  when 
shall  I  call  to  exchange  me  check  for  -the — aw — cer- 
tificate of  stock?" 

"Let  me  see?  Today  is  Tuesday — could  "you  call 
here  Saturday  a.  m.,  say  at  ten  o'clock1?  If  so,  we  can 
close  up  the  entire  transaction?" 

She  usual'y  entrusted  such  details  as  this  to  her 
agent,  but  this  afforded  her  too  excellent  an  oppor- 
tunity for  a  second  call  from  Mr.  Snob..  He  replied : 

"I  will — tab — call  at  that  time  with  pleasure." 

After  a  cordial  "Good  morning — ah — glad  to  have 
met  you,  madam,"  Mr.  Snob  took  his  departure. 

As  he  walked  away  he  thought  to  himself:  "A 
magnificent  woman.  She  has  all  the  grace  and  bear- 
ing of  royal  or  noble  blood.  I  am  delighted.  I  shall 
see  her  again !" 

"And  to  think  of  her  talking  about  starting  this 
business  in  1870?  By  gosh,  she  doesn't  look  a  day 
over  twenty-six  at  most,  the  age  when  the  majority  of 
women  are  at  their  best." 

As  Mr.  Snob  was  walking  away  thinking  these 
thoughts,  Miss  Incognita  was  making  the  halls  and 
apartments  of  her  home  ring  with  her  merry 
laughter  and  rich,  sweet  voice.  She  caught  Eros  in 
her  arms  and  whirled  him  around  in  a  merry  waltz. 
She  called  Mary  Dundee  and  her  other  "household 
companions"  and  made  them  take  a  holiday,  and  go 
to  the  park  for  an  outing —  and  all  the  time  they  were 
getting  ready  to  start  she  was  running  on  with  them 
in  the  manner  and  style  of  a.  frolicksome  school 
girl. 


The  Events  of  the  Year  1889       231 

When  they  were  gone,  she  ordered  the  carriage, 
and  she  and  Eros  went  for  a  call  on  Mrs.  John  Smith 
and  Gamaliel. 

Mrs.  Smith  complimented  her  on  her  radiant 
appearance  that  morning.  The  truth  is,  no  compli- 
ments could  have  done  justice  to  her  fresh  and 
queenly  beauty !  Since  she  had  talked  with  Mr.  Snob 
she  was  very  happy.  She  could  scarcely  realize  that 
she  actually  knew  upon  what  part  of  the  great 
rotund  earth  he  could  be  found.  She  knew  a  man 
who  knew  him,  who  had  even  slept  under  the  same 
roof  with  him,  and  from  whom  she  could  and  would 
learn  all  about  him !  Then  he  could  not  always 
escape  her!  His  heart  would  yet  be  her  prey,  and 
it  should  yet  learn  whf  c  it  is  to  bleed  and  burn 
and  break ! 

As  the  tigress,  \rhen  getting  ready  to  bound  upon 
her  prey,  exhibits  more  of  her  wonderful  grace, 
agility  and  beauty,  than  at  any  other  time,  so  the 
fresh,  graceful,  imperial  beauty  of  Miss  Incognita 
even  now  was  beginning  to  show  itself. 

"By-the-bye,  with  reference  to  our  plans  for  Eros 
and  Gamaliel  something  has  happened  which  I  want 
to  tell  you  Mrs.  Smith.  I  have  met  somebody — don't 
ask  me  whom — who  lives  in  London,  and  has  the 
entree  to  the  best  set.  You  know  we  have  been  talk- 
ing of  taking  the  children  over  next  year.  Now  I 
have  decided  on  this  plan  for  Eros.  He  cannot  go, 
but  instead  will  go  off  to  college  to  begin  his  studies 
in  good  earnest.  But  we  must  go  and  take  Gamaliel, 
and  through  him  whom  I  shall  make  my  friend  she 


232  Miss   Incognita 

shall  enjoy  the  henors  of  the  first  social  circles  of 
London.  Now  how  does  that  strike  you? 

"Oh,  admirably,  except  that  I  can't  afford  to  lose 
you  on  that  trip.  Of  course  you  will  go !" 

"I  will  certainly  do  so.  We  must  not  miss  this 
opportunity.  It  will  be  one  in  a  lifetime  for 
Gamaliel.  She  will  be  eighteen  then,  and  her  beauty 
will  do  her  full  justice.  •  Since  Eros  goes  off  to  col- 
lege, she  will  have  to  be  entertained  in  some  way  to 
keep  her  from  .missing  him  so  much." 

"But  suppose  Gamaliel  should  be  entrapped  by 
some  noble  fellow,  what  of  Eros?  You  know  he 
loves  her,  yea,  adores  her." 

"Oh,  never  mind,  we  can  manage  all  that.  I  will 
make  Eros  look  out  for  himself.  If  Gamaliel  can 
marry  a  nobleman  let  her  do  it.  You  know  she  looks 
to  me  like  the  daughter  of  some  royal  scion.  Just 
think  of  the  wonderful  circumstances  of  her  birth,  all 
of  which  was  and  is  mysterious." 

"Yes,  that  is  true  of  her.  Of  late  she  has  acted 
like  a  caged  bird.  You  can't  conceive  how  she  frets 
over  that  terrible  .inscription  on  her  bosom!  "We 
went  to  a  ball  recently  at  Mrs.  Allen's.  Gamaliel 
cried  and  raved  for  an  hoar,  because  she  could  not 
wear  an  evening  dress  like  the  other  girls.  O'f  course 
that  is  out  of  the  question  on  account  of  that  terrible 
disfigurement.  She  asks  and  asks  me  how  it  came 
there,  who  put  it  there,  and  why  I  let  them  do  it, 
all  of  which  nearly  kills  me,  for  I  can't  give  her  any 
satisfaction  about  it." 

"Why  don't  you  tell  her  she  was  once  stolen  by 


The  Events  of  the  Year  1889       233 

the  gypsies  when  she  was  a  baby,  and  when  you 
found  her  this'  was  on  her." 

"What  a  splendid  tale  that  would  be  to  tell  her. 
It's  just  the  thing,  and  I  will  do  it.  I  h-ave  thought 
several  times  of  consulting  some  of  the  best  phy- 
sicians, to  see  if  it  could  be  removed,  and  think  I 
shall  do  it  yet." 

"I  assure  you  I  would  not,"  replied  Miss  Incognita 
with  considerable  emphasis.  "Some  of  them  might 
advise  and  attempt  it.  and  imperil  her  life.  I  would 
not  risk  it  for  anything."  And  her  advice  settled 
that  point  to  Mrs.  Smith's  satisfaction,  and  eminently 
so  to  hers! 

Not  for  the  world  would  she  have  had  those  mys- 
terious characters  removed,  or  even  blurred  one  iota! 


234  Miss  Incognita 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

UNEXPRESSED    SENTIMENTS — A    JOURNEY    FOR    A 
PURPOSE. 

IT  \vould  be  difficult  to  portray,  or  to  imagine,  Miss 
Incognita's  feelings  and  thoughts  with  reference  to 
Eros,  during  those  years  after  she  had  satisfied  her- 
self as  to  his  father's  identity.  He  had  blue-black 
eyes,  black  hair,  a  full,  broad  face  and  a  handsome, 
athletic  figure,  all  very  much  like  his  father.  If  he 
had  inherited  that  dimple  as  Gamaliel  did  he  would 
have  been  a  fac-simile  of  him. 

He  was  always  very  affectionate  towards  his 
adopted  mother  and  his  affection  strangely  stirred 
her. 

She  would  look  into  the  boy's  eyes  and  face  and 
through  them  dnto  another's  of  days  long  gone  by. 
His  lips  kissed  and  clung  exactly  like  another's,  and 
his  fondlings  and  caresses  manifested  that  same  wild, 
reckless  depth  of  emotion !  He  often  gazed  upon  her 
person  and  into  her  face,  and  would  rave  to  her  over 
her  beauty.  How  strange  to  her  seemed  these 
wonderful  results  of  heredity !  His  passion  for 
beauty,  how  like  another's! 

Sometimes  she  could  hardly  interpret  her  feelings 
towards  Eros,  after  he  had  become  a  large  boy. 
During  these  times  even  his  presence  aroused  her 
strangely  and  deeply.  For  days  her  eyes  -would  be 
red  from  weeping  and  her  heart  sore  from  aching. 
She  would  hurry  Eros  off  to  school,  or  send  him  away 
to  read  in  the  library,  and  she  would  go  upstairs 


Unexpressed  Sentiments  235 

into  a  certain  strangely  fitted  up  room,  an  exact 
duplicate  of  a  certain  room  of  long  ago,  and,  throw- 
ing herself  up  on  an  old,  out-of-date,  peculiar  sofa, 
would  .go  off  into  a  kind  of  heart-consuming  reverie. 
At  other  times,  she  would  think  how  strange  that 
his  son  should  call  her  mother;  that  he  should  hav? 
been  fondled  in  his  infancy  on  her  breast;  should 
have  been  reared  under  her  wing;  should  know  no 
parent  but  her,  and  no  home  but  hers.  Why  should 
he  have  abandoned  Eros  and  Gamaliel,  this  double 
blessing  of  heirship — the  apparent  desire  for  which 
had  once  been  the  insatiable  passion  of  his  life?  Or 
had  this  desire  been  only  a  'Cruel  pretense  of  his, 
\\ith  which  to  gibe  and  insult  her,  and  then  ?o  cruelly 
cast  her  off?  And  here  was  a  scion  of  this  lecherous 
fiend  (no  doubt  got  by  him  in  a  liaison  with  some 
mercenary  courtesan)  calling  her  "mother,"  nur- 
tured in  her  bosom,  fondled  in  her  arms,  caressed  by 
her  hands,  kissed  by  her  lips,  called  "son"  by  her 
tongue,  and  deeply  loved  by  her  heart!  What  would 
she,  what  could  she  do?  How  could  she  endure  the 
titanic  struggle  of  emotions  which  this  boy  and  these 
thoughts  incited  upon  the  arena  of  her  heart?  Must 
rlie  drive  him  away?  Was  it  her  province  to  visit 
the  sin  of  the  father  upon  the  child? 

No,  she  would  endure  him !  She  would  let  his 
blue-black  eyes  continue  to  mock  her — for  they  did 
it  innocently!  She  would  not  repulse  those  wild, 
reckless,  amorous  caresses,  for  the  son  knew  not 
they  were  like  his!  She  would  not  cruelly  mid  rash- 
Iv  rid  herself  of  these  always  too  bitter  reminders  of 


236  Miss  Incognita 

the  past,  which,  like  a  tantalizing  friction,  kept 
chafed  and  open  and  festering  the  heart-sores  of 
those  cruel  days ! 

No,  rather  she  would  love  this  boy  who  had  been 
so  mysteriously  sent  to  her.  There  must  have  been  a 
purpose  in  it,  and  to  her  that  purpose  was  paramount 
and  was  held  on  to  with  the  unflinching  fealty  of  a 
desperate  resolve. 

For  with  Eros  had  not  Gamaliel  been  sent  also1? 
And  without  Tier  could  she  ever  expect  to  torture  that 
heart,  to  do  which  was  the  goal  of  her  outraged 
love's  ambition?  Could  she  have  known  of  Gamaliel 
except  through  Eros?  Should  she  not  then  cherish 
him  as  the  apple  of  her  eye,  as  the  innocent  detective, 
through  whom  her  outraged  love  had  thus  far  found 
and  worked  its  clue,  and  would  yet  bring  to  justice 
the  despoiler  of  her  heart? 

After  such  reflections  as  these  she  would  be  more 
tender  than  usual  to  Eros,  and  would  find  a  species 
of  strange,  keen  enjoyment  in  him. 

During  .all  these  years  the  children  had  been 
growing  up  she  had  shown  as  great  an  interest  in 
Gamaliel  as  she  had  in  Eros.  Miss  Incognita  real- 
ly directed  Gamaliel's  education  and  influenced  Mrs. 
Smith  to  give  her  every  accomplishment  and  grace 
which  culture  and  money  could  attain.  "Ha !"  she 
thought,  "I  shall  prepare  her  as  a  gift  to  Mm,  but 
not  as  a  daughter.  No !  But  to  break  his  heart !" 

Gamaliel  at  eighteen  had  passed  from  the  awk- 
ward, adolescent,  chaotic  beauty  of  girlhood  into  the 
rich,  voluptuous  embodiment  and  grace  of  woman- 
hood. 


Unexpressed  Sentiments  37 

She  had  a  rare  simplicity  of  manner  and  a  modest 
demeanor.  She  was  known  as  "that  beautiful  girl 
who  is  too  modest  to  wear  her  dresses  cut  low."  She 
was  a  young  woman  of  much  depth  of  feeling,  sen- 
timent and  passion;  one  of  that  style  of  beauty  whose 
eyes  look  at  you  modestly  and  languidly,  as  if  they 
were  dreaming  dreams,  and  you  saw  them  reflected 
out  of  the  mysterious  depths  of  a  lake;  and  they 
are  often  cast  down  as  if  trying  to  hicie  them- 
selves behind  the  long  dark  lashes;  and  when  they 
give  themselves  now  and  then  full  to  your  gaze,  you 
feel  thrilled  by  them  and  pray  that  you  may  look 
into  them  for  a  long  time !  But  they  quickly  dis- 
appoint you  and  are  cast  down  again.  Ah  I  such  a 
one  knows  what  depths  love  has!  She  can  make 
you  dream  of  Elysium,  and  forget  you  had  ever 
been  on  earth,  where  such  things  as  pain  and  suf- 
fering and  ennui  are  known !  You  will  not  know 
that  there  had  ever  been  any  other  woman  but  her! 
She  will  fill  your  life  and  your  heart  with  love  and 
joy,  for  she  will  desire  no  one  else  but  you !  All 
this  will  be  yours  if  you  win  such  a  woman's  love; 
but  beware;  you  must  be  sure  you  have  won  her 
love,  otherwise  she  may  give  it  to  another.  Such  is 
her  nature. 

Such    a    woman    was    Gamaliel    at    eighteen. 

It  is  needless  to  tarry  at  this  point,  to  detail  to 
the  reader  the  numerous  visit  of  Mr.  Archie  Snob 
to  Miss  Incognita  after  that  first  meeting  when  he 
went  away  so  deeply  impressed  by  her.  He  had 
cafled  the  next  Saturday  morning  at  the  appointed 


238  Miss  Incognita 

hour,  and  they  closed  up  the  business  matter  which 
they  had  under  consideration.  He  tarried  long 
(hereafter,  and  upon  her  pressing  invitation  re- 
mained to  lunch  with  her. 

He   told    her   everything  he   had   ever   known   of 
Lord    Eroslove   and    his   family,    and    how    his   elder 
and    only   brother   had    died   in    1869    without    heirs, 
leaving  Sir  Henry   the  sole  heir  to  the  family  title 
rnd  estates.     How  he  had  once  lived  .in  America  and 
was  a  physician   under  some  assumed  name,  and  he 
had  hurried  back  to  England  upon  the  death  of  his 
elder  brother.     But   Archie   Snob   could   tell   nothing 
about    Lord    Eroslove    having    any    children.        The 
gossip    of   London    had    never   gotten    that    piece    of 
news.     After    that    second     visit,    Mr.     Snob    called 
often,  and  Miss  Incognita  went  with  him  many  times 
to    visit    Mrs.    Smith    and    Gamaliel.     He    took     the 
greatest   fancy   to  Gamaliel.     He  showed  her  every 
possible  attention  outside  of  an   absolute  courtship. 
One   day  it   came   about   that   he   broached    the   sub- 
ject  of  a  trip   to  England   for  Gamaliel,   and  when 
he  saw  that  her  mother  somewhat  favored  it  he  prom- 
ised to  give  her  a  magnificent  ball  and  reception  at 
the  Marlborough   Club,  at  which  Lord  Eroslove  and 
his   set   would   be   favored   attendants,   and,   in    fact, 
nothing  should  be  lacking  to  make  the  trip  a  com- 
plete social  success. 

Miss  Incognita  has  purposely  arranged  it  so  that 
Mr.  Archie  Snob  should  first  suggest  the  trip,  know- 
ing that  if  he  could  be  led  to  do  this  of  his  own 
accord  be  would  take  a  greater  interest  in  the  suc- 
cess of  it. 


Unexpressed  Sentiments  239 

A  conference  was  held  between  him,  Mis?  Incog- 
nita, Mrs.  John  Smith  and  Gamaliel,  at  which  it  was 
determined  to  make  the  trip  just  as  soon  as  Gama- 
liel's wardrobe  could  be  made  ready.  This  was  pre- 
pared without  reference  to  cost,  Miss  Incognita  de- 
signing the  special  dresses  and  paying  most  of  the 
bills  herself.  No  one  had  ever  known  her  heart  to 
be  so  much  in  anything  as  it  was  in  planning  for 
this  trip  and  getting  Gamaliel  ready  for  it.  She 
determined  for  some  reason  to  make  her  a  creation 
of  surpassing  loveliness,  and  she  was  doing  it  to 
perfection. 

Miss  Incognita  decided  to  go  as  Gamaliel's  wid- 
owed aunt  and  to  be  dressed  in  the  style  widows 
wear  in  second  mourning. 

She  was  to  be  known  only  as  Mrs.  Claudia  Jones. 
No  one  was  to  ask  her,  or  attempt  to  discover  why 
she  went  under  this  disguise. 

Finally  everything  was  ready.  The  day  for  their 
departure  was  at  hand.  Miss  Incognita  had  arranged 
her  household  and  business  matters  to  her  satisfac- 
tion. Eros  had  been  sent  off  to  college,  and  the  ten- 
der, affectionate,  long-drawn-out  farewell  .between 
him  and  Gamaliel,  with  their  vows  and  tears  and 
kisses,  had  ended. 

On  a  beautiful  morning  in  May,  1890,  they 
sailed.  From  the  day  they  went  aboard  the  "Teu- 
tonic" Miss  Incognita  became  Mrs.  Claudia  Jones, 
and  she  required  they  should  call  her  nothing  else 
on  fhe  journey,  in  order  that  they  might  become  ac- 
customed to  it  before  reaching  London. 


240  Miss  Incognita 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

THE   BETROTHAL. 

IT  was  one  of  those  magnificent  nights  in  early 
June,  filled  with  fragrance  of  flowers  and  early 
fruits.  We  find  ouselves  in  the  city  of  London, 
approaching  the  Marlborough  Club  mansion.  It 
is  eleven  o'clock  in  the  evening,  and  the  splendor 
of  the  lights  streams  from  the  great  open  windows 
of  the  house.  We  enter,  and  on  the  third  floor  are 
ushered  into  a  magnificent  dancing  pavilion  or  hall. 

The  pavilion  is  filled  with  music,  which  steals 
into  your  ears  from  some  hidden  recess.  The  glid- 
ing rhythm  of  the  waltz  moves  in  graceful  undula- 
tions to  the  soft  measures  of  the  music.  About  the 
sides  of  the  great  pavilion,  and  hidden  back  in  re- 
cesses behind  miniature  arches  are  chairs  and  divans, 
upon  which  the  tired  dancers,  or  those  who  do  not 
dance,  may  sit  or  recline  and  rest. 

A  little  to  the  right  as  we  enter  the  great  arched 
doors  an  one  of  these  recesses  we  observe  two  ladies 
sitting.  They  are  not  dancing  but  interested  specta- 
tors of  the  festive  scene.  One  is  dressed  in  widow's 
mourning,  and  her  fa«e  can  scarcely  be  seen  be- 
hind the  thin  black  veil.  We  walk  up  near  to  them 
and  take  a  comfortable  seat.  The  lady  behind  the 
black  veil  seems  to  be  interested  in  only  one  per- 
sonage jusit  at  present.  She  'hears  nothing,  she 
sees  nothing,  she  feels  nothing,  but  him.  She  does 


The  Betrothal  241 

not  even  observe  that  beautiful  girl,  who.  accom- 
panied by  a  handsome  man,  has  just  taken  a  seat 
near  her.  She  is  looking  at  that  one  personage  as 
if  her  life  depended  upon  it.  We  will  leave  her 
thus  engaged  and  take  notice  of  this  angelic  figure 
of  a  girl  who  has  just  taken  her  seat.  She  is  dressed 
differently  from  any  lady  taking  part  in  the  ball. 

She  wears  her  exquisite  white  satin  gown  fastened 
a  little  below  the  base  of  her  throat  and  clasped 
there  by  a  double  stream  of  diamonds  and  pearls, 
which  encircle  her  neck.  All  the  other  dancers  are. 
dressed  in  the  extreme  decollete  fashion  of  the  mod- 
ern evening  costume. 

Soon  after  this  dream  of  modest  beauty  had 
been  seated,  a  slender,  delicate  man  is  seen  ap- 
proaching with  his  arm  in  that  of  the  man  whom  the 
lady  in  black  has  been  so  ravishingly  observing. 
This  gentleman  appeared  to  be  about  forty  years 
of  age.  He  had  a  large  black,  wavy  mustache  and 
very  graceful  side-whiskers,  neatly  trimmed,  and 
clean-shaven  chin.  He  was  somewhat  portly  and 
stood  about  six  feet  high.  His  complexion  was 
florid,  his  eyes  black  and  his  chin  rather  fat  and 
prominent.  As  he  came  nearer  the  lady  in  black 
leaned  farther  forward  and  was  seen  to  peep  at  him 
from  beneath  the  hem  of  her  dark  veil,  which  she 
slipped  up.  She  was  pressing  one  hand  upon  her 
heart,  and  she  shook  like  an  aspen  leaf  when  it  is 
made  the  toy  of  the  wind. 

By  this  time  the  two  men  had  reached  tf.e  young 
lady,  who  was  a  few  yards  removed  from  the  lady 


242  Miss  Incognita 

in  black.  Then  the  latter  heard  the  small  gentle- 
man, who  was  none  other  than  Mr.  Archie  Snob, 
say: 

"Allow  me  to  present  to  you  my  friend,  Lord 
Eroslove,  Miss  Smith." 

As  these  two  were  exchanging  the  usual  pleas- 
antries incident  upon  a  first  meeting  the  agitated 
lady  in  black  nervously  beckoned  Mr.  Snob  to  her 
and  said: 

"Pray  do  not  bring  him  here !  I  have  changed 
rny  mind.  I  really  do  not  care  for  an  introduction 
to  him  now." 

"Of  course,  if  you  prefer  not,  Mrs.  Jones.  I 
have  not  yet  mentioned  your  name  to  him,  so  he 
will  not  notice  this  omission." 

At  this  point  Mr.  Snob  turned  to  walk  away, 
but  she  detained  him,  saying: 

"Suggest  to  Gamaliel  that  she  sit  there  with  him 
and  rest  a-while;  she  must  not  dainee  too  much." 

Then  she  continued  in  a  low  murmur,  as  if  talking 
to  herself,  after  Mr.  Snob  had  walked  away : 

"Yes,  they  must  sit  there,  that  I  may  see  him 
well." 

Gam'aliel  sat  with  her  hands  resting  in  her  lap. 

Just  enough  of  her  arms  and  breast  were  visible 
to  give  a  hint  of  that  choice  wealth  of  beauty  which 
was  held  in  modest  reserve.  Lord  Eroslove  observ- 
ed this  delicate  art  in  her  dress,  and  contrasted  it 
with  the  style  of  dress  of  other  ladies,  which  reck- 
le«?.ly  exposed  to  the  gaze  of  all  those  rare  beauties 
of  their  person  wfao—  sacred  secrets  should  be 


The  Betrothal  243 

known  only  to  the  eye  and  touch  of  consecrated 
love.  He  contrasted  Gamaliel  with  these,  and 
thought :  "How  familiar  have  they  grown  to  me, 
as  to  every  other  man  who  sees  them  on  all  occa- 
sions such  as  this.  Beauty  that  is  stale  is  like  wine 
that  is  flat;  it  has  lost  its  sparkle,  and  the  spirit 
has  departed  from  it — it  is  but  as  dead.  There  are 
flowers  and  tints  of  color  so  rare  and  delicate  that 
they  fade  away  and  become  but  as  dry  leaves  when 
exposed  to  the  too  open  light  of  the  sun.  So  with 
a  woman's  beauty.  It  loses  the  subtle  spirit  of  its 
charm  when  the  flood  light  of  the  public  gaze  has 
but  once  been  focused  upon  it."  As  these  thoughts 
flitted  through  the  mind  of  Lord  Eroslove,  his 
amorous  eye  feasted  itself  upon  Gamaliel's  downcast 
eyes  and  upon  her  exquisitely  rounded,  tapering 
forearm,  and  upon  her  rich,  red,  parted  lips,  and 
upon  that  charming  dimple  in  her  chin,  which  seemed 
a  fit  trysting-place  for  some  fairy  love.  Soon  the 
lady  behind  the  black  veil  gave  a  little  start!  She 
looked  more  intently  at  Lord  Eroslove!  What  had 
she  seen?  These  were  her  thoughts: 

"Lord  Eroslove  was  smitten,  deeply  smitten,  at 
first  sighit  of  Gamaliel.  She  knew  it,  for  only  when 
he  was  moved  to  the  very  depths  of  his  being  did 
his  chin  become  agitated  as  she  now  saw  it,  and  form 
itself  into  such  a  deep,  cavernous  dimple  as  was 
MOW  there  before  her  eyes.  'She  knew  him  too  well 
to  be  mistaken  on  this  point." 

The  longer  he  looked  upon  and  talked  to  Ga- 
maliel the  more  aroused  his  feelings  became.  He 


244  Miss  Incognita 

was  oblivious  of  the  dance  and  all  things  else  save 
Gamaliel.  She  talked  in  her  low,  soft  way  to  him, 
and  as  she  talked  she  now  and  then  lifted  her 
large,  dreamy,  violet  eyes  to  his,  and  then  would 
let  them  fall  again,  or  shield  them  by  the  dark 
mist  of  her  drooping  lashes.  Doubtless  he  would 
never  have  asked  her  for  a  dance  had  not  Mr.  Snob 
flitted  by  and  given  him  a  knowing  wink.  Then 
they  glided  away  to  the  soft,  sweet  breath  of  the 
music,  and  Lord  Eroslove  danced  as  he  had  never 
danced  before.  For  Gamaliel  was  skilled  in  all  the 
graces  of  this  passionate  art. 

The  mazes'  of  the  waltz,  the  passionate  strains 
of  the  music,  the  charms  of  the  exhilarating  girl  in 
his  arms,  all  seemed  to  intoxicate  in  a  strange  way 
the  senses  of  Lord  Eroslove;  so  that  soon  in  a 
paroxysm  of  emotion  he  drew  'her  too  closely  and 
tightly  in  his  embrace,  and  lo !  before  he  knew  it 
she  had  skimmed  away  from  him,  with  a  blush  on 
her  face  and  lips  and  a  shy  glitter  in  her  dreaming 
eye.  He  quickly  caught  up  with  her,  and  with  a 
little  smile  playing  about  her  half-parted  lips  she 
said: 

"Must  I  ask  you  to  excuse  me  for  being  too  fast 
for  you  or  should  you  ask  me  to  excuse  you  for " 

"Yes,  I  must,  for  my  too  passionate  ardor  in 
the  dance;  but  you  waltz  so  heavenly  I  could  not 
help  it." 

"Thank  you,  Lord  Eroslove.  Then  perhaps  I 
had  better  .dance  more  earthly1?" 

"No,  no;   do  not;  but  rather  let  me  pray  your 


The  Betrothal  245 

forgiveness  in  advance  for  any  seeming  emotion  I 
may  express  in  my  too  arderut  demeanor." 

During  the  remainder  of  the  evening  he  did  not 
leave  her  side — and  the  woman  be.iind  the  black 
veil  saw  this  and  was  supremely  happy. 

During  the  next  month  of  their  stay  in  London 
Lord  Eroslove  was  all  attention  to  Gamaliel,  and 
courted  her  with  all  the  ardor  of  his  passionate 
nature. 

To  those  who  observed  him  there  was  no  doubt 
of  tdie  fact  that  he  \vas  deeply  in  love.  It  was  in 
truth  no  passing  passion  with  him.  He  sincerely 
believed  that  in  Gamaliel  he  had  met  his  destiny. 
There  was  an  indefinable  something,  he  now  dis- 
covered, about  Gamaliel's  downcast  eyes,  her  deep 
carmine  lips,  her  modest  demeanor,  'her  entire  per- 
sonality, which  he  could  not  resist.  No  other  woman 
had  ever  moved  him  so  strangely  and  irresistably 
as  she  had.  Could  this  be  partly  caused  by  the  affini- 
ty of  blood  between  them,  unknown  to  him;  was 
there  such  a  subtle  influence  as  that? 

He  was  seconded  and  aided  in  his  suit  by  Mrs. 
Smith  and  Miss  Incognita.  The  latter  would  never 
make  his  acquaintance,  and  hente  he  knew  nothing 
of  her,  but  she  constantly  used  her  potent  influence 
upon  Gamaliel  in  his  behalf.  She  would  tell  Gama- 
liel that  Eros  was  too  young  and  could  not  marry 
for  years;  that  his  college  curriculum  must  be  gone 
through  and  then  his  professional  course.  She  showed 
her  what  an  exalted  position  she  would  attain  at 
once  upon  her  marriage  with  Lord  Eroslove,  and  how 


246  Miss  Incognita 

all  this  would  be  lacking  in  a  union  with  Eros.  While 
she  was  thus  manipulating  Gamaliel,  Mrs.  S,nith  and 
Archie  Snob  were  encouraging  Lord  Eroslove.  Mrs. 
Smith  also  talked  to  Gamaliel  of  the  futility  of  her 
schoolgirl  love  for  Eros,  and  of  how  foolish  it  was 
for  a  girl  to  sacrifice  herself  to  a  mere  youthful  sen- 
timent. 

Gamaliel's  position  in  the  matter  was  one  of  a 
forced  acquiescent  passivity.  She  did  not  love  Lord 
Eroslove',  and  she  did  love  Eros.  Yet  those  whom 
she  knew  had  her  interest  most  at  heart  exerted  all 
their  influence  to  have  her  marry  tlhe  former.  She 
felt  a  kind  of  awe  of  him.  However,  as  he  pressed 
his  suit  and  the  others  pressed  his  claims  and  ad- 
vantages, she  became  apparently  more  and  more  sub- 
missive. 

Gamaliel  felt  the  force  of  Miss  Incognita's  de- 
termination for  her  to  marry  Lord  Eroslove.  Yet  she 
noticed  that  she  never  told  her  not  to  love  Eros  and 
never  attempted  to  break  off  their  growing  and  a/mor- 
ous  correspondence. 

The  longer  she  and  Eros  were  away  from  each 
ot'her  tlhe  more  frequent  and  amatory  became  their 
letters. 

The  trutih  is1,  Miss  Incognita  had  a  motive  in 
separating  Gamaliel  and  Eros  when  she  did.  She 
knew  that  the  inevitable  effect  of  this  separation 
would  be  to  increase  the  longing  of  Gamaliel  and 
Eros  for  each  other  and  to  produce  that  impetuosi- 
ty and  madness  in  their  love  which  at  the  proper  time 
would  carry  out  the  purpose  she  had  in  view. 


The  Betrothal  247 

Mr.  Arahie  Snob  arranged  all  sorts  of  tete-a- 
tetes  and  drives  and  excursions,  designed  to  favor 
Lord  Eroslove  in  his  suit  and  throw  him  and  Gama- 
liel in  closer  contact. 

In  the  hotel  where  the  American  party  were  stop- 
ping their  rooms  were  on  each  side  of  a  private  par- 
lor. Mrs.  Smith's  and  Gamaliel's  suite  of  rooms  were 
on  one  side  and  Miss  Incognita's  on  the  other.  Gama- 
liel received  Lord  Eroslove  in  their  private  parlor. 
The  room  occupied  by  Miss  Incognita  was  connect- 
ed with  the  parlor  by  a  large  sliding  door.  Above 
this  door  was  a  large  double  mirror,  which  was  swung 
on  pivots  like  a  transom,  and  could  be  turned  and 
secured  at  any  angle  desired. 

This  mirror  had  been .  designed  to  break  the  'mon- 
otony of  the  high  bare  wall  above  the  door  and  also 
to  ventilate  the  adjoining  suite  of  rooms.  Miss  In- 
cognita now  arranged  it  to  serve  a  different  purpose. 
She  adjusted  it  at  such  an  angle  that  she  could  sit 
in  her  room  in  a  dark  and  obscure  corner  and  observe 
all  that  was  going  on  in  the  parlor,  while  s'.ie  herself 
could  not  foe  seen. 

As  she  sat  in  her  room  observing  Lord  Eroslove 
and  Gamaliel,  but  unobserved  by  them,  it  gave  her 
a  wonderfully  accurate  opportunity  to  note  the  sin- 
cerity of  his  suit  and  to  judge  of  ifhe  depths  of  his 
passion  for  Gamaliel. 

As  the  time  pa?sed  and  his  heart  became  more  and 
more  involved,  she  watched  him  with  an  interest  that 
was  boundless.  She  also  watched  Gamaliel  as  close- 
ly as  she  did  him.  She  saw  very  plainly  that  the 


248  Miss  Incognita 

young  girl's  heart  was  never  moved  by  his  ardent 
wooing,  though  she  also  observed  enough  about  her 
manner  to  conclude  that  she  would  marry  him.  How 
ill  this  suited  Miss  Incognita's  purpose !  Each  day 
as  she  observed  these  tihings  she  seemed  to  grow 
younger  and  more  buoyant  and  beautiful.  She  would 
compliment  Gamaliel  and  go  into  ecstasies  over  her 
and  her  noble  suitor,  and  altogether  would  seem  to 
be  beside  herself  with  a  species  of  girlish  glee.  On 
)ne  of  these  occasions  Gamaliel  said  to  her: 

"Then  why  don't  you  come  in  and  me&t  him? 
You  don't  know  him  even !" 

And  she  would  reply  to   Gamaliel : 

"I  will  by  and  by — not  now;  it  is  not  my  time 
yet." 

Thus  Lord  Eroslove's  wooing  continued,  until  one 
day  about  six  weeks  after  he  had  met  Gamaliel,  she 
consented  to  become  his  wife. 

When  this  consummation  was  readied  it  was 
neither  his  heart  nor  Gamaliel's  that  was  the  happiest, 
but  it  was  the  heart  of  a  woman  in  black,  who,  from 
a  dark  corner  of  the  adjoining  room,  observed  their 
betrothal. 

That  very  night  Gamaliel  received  a  letter  from 
Eros,  and  wihen  Miss  Incognita  came  in  she  found 
^er  in  tears.  She  put  her  arms  about  her  and  kissed 
3r  warm  lips,  saying: 

"Don't  cry,  my  little  girl!  Trust  to  me.  You 
Know  I  will  do  for  you  what  is  for  the  best." 

Gamaliel  did  not  know  the  meaning  of  these 
words  as  the  speaker  knew  it. 


Judge  Not  249 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

JUDGE   NOT. 

No  one  who  has  not  suffered  as  Miss  Incognita 
had  suffered  is  competent  to  criticise  the  form  of  re- 
venge a  woman's  outraged  love  sees  fit  to  inflict  upon 
its  despoiler. 

There  are  women  whose  crushed  love,  like  a 
wounded  dove,  will  hide  its  head  under  its  wing  and 
pass  its  sad  life  away  in  sobe  oblivious  retreat,  hid- 
ing its  wound  from  all  and  telling  its  woes  to  none. 

There  are  others  of  flippant,  superficial  natures 
who  prattle  their  tell-tale  wrongs  to  all  mankind, 
even  as  the  vociferous  auctioneer  cries  out  his  wares 
to  the  motley  crowd. 

Then  there  is  a  type  of  the  deep-feeling,  true, 
high-bred  woman,  whose  love  is  given,  if  at  all,  with 
all  the  lavish  wealth  of  a  queen  of  passion ;  she  is  as 
a  mighty  empress,  who,  when  her  lord  and  king  is 
admitted  to  her  eouch,  'endows  him  with  all  the  mag- 
nificence of  her  empire.  If  he,  instead  of  adoring 
her,  tramples  upon  her  heart,  she  will  sooner  or  later 
overwhelm  and  torture  him  by  the  awful  potency  of 
that  same  power  of  passion  with  which  she  had 
sought  to  bless  him !  Such  was  Miss  Incognita's 
heart,  and  of  this  quality  her  lov:.  While  her  ven- 
geance possessed  the  frenzy  of  an  avenging  fury,  yet 
she  kept  it  in  subjection  and  guided  it  on  to  its  con- 
summation, as  she  had  planned,  with  the  calm  wis- 
dom of  a  "Daniel  come  to  judgment." 


250  Miss  Incognita 

No  woman  can  love  deeply  who  cannot  as  deeply 
hate.  The  depths  of  contending  emotions  lie  upon 
the  same  sub-cardiac  level.  There  is  as  quick  a  route 
from  love  to  hate  as  from  laughter  to  tears,  if  some 
cruel  invader  once  'breaks  down  the  dividing  Alps. 

There  is  but  one  test  of  character  and  that  is  the 
crucible  of  trial.  Let  all  who  would  cruelly  and 
harshly  judge  Miss  Incognita's  heart  and  the  fearful 
methods  of  its  vengeance  first  put  their  heart  in  that 
crucible  in  which  hers  had  been  so  long  and  so  cruel- 
ly tortured. 

When  the  party  left  London  in  the  summer  of 
1890  they  made  a  tour  of  the  Continent.  They  spent 
some  weeks  in  Paris,  where  Mrs.  Smith  and  Miss  In- 
cognita planned  Gamaliel's  elaborate  trousseau  and  ar- 
ranged for  it  to  be  ready  for  her  wedding  in  the 
early  fall. 

From  this  point  they  went  to  Switzerland,  where 
they  remained  until  the  heat  of  summer  had  ended. 

By  the  middle  of  September  they  were  in  New 
York,  and  began  vigorous  preparations  for  the  wed- 
ding, to  take  place  on  the  evening  of  October  twelfth. 

Gamaliel  had  not  seen  Eros  since  the  preceding 
"winter.  During  his  summer  vacation  they  were  in 
Switzerland,  and  he  did  not  join  them.  So  she  grew 
more  anxious  to  see  him  as  one  association  after 
another  at  home  called  him  to  her  remembrance. 
Their  letters  were  frequent  and  full  of  love  for  one 
another. 

It  had  been  decided  that  he  should  not  leave  col- 


Judge  Not  251 

legs  to  attend  the  wedding.  Miss  Incognita  had  set- 
tled this  point.  Everything  was  working  too  well  to 
her  purpose  to  risk  the  advent  of  Eros  until  her 
plans  demanded  him.  She  gave  strict  orders  that  no 
one  was  to  inform  Eros  of  Gamaliel's  engagement  or 
\vedddng. 

Every  one  noted  that  Miss  Incognita  was  looking 
as  young  and  beautiful  as  Gamaliel.  She  was  now 
in  her  thirty-eighth  year,  and  so  perfect  was  the 
preservation  of  her  health  and  beauty  that  no  one 
would  have  thought  of  placing  her  age  at  over  twenty- 
eight — that  age  when  a  woman  is  generally  most  at- 
tractive and  possesses  to  the  highest  degree  all  the 
charms,  graces  and  embodiments  of  perfect  woman- 
hood. 

Miss  Incognita  seemed  to  have  employed  some 
magic  art  in  the  preservation  of  her  youth,  beauty 
and  health. 

Gamaliel  noticed  that  as  the  wedding  day  ap- 
proached Miss  Incognita  becaane  more  gentle  and  at- 
tentive toward  her,  and  made  it  a  point  to  be  near 
or  about  her  day  and  niglit.  She  quite  often  had  her 
to  spend  the  night  with  her  at  her  residence,  and  even 
days  and  nights  together  there. 

Mr.  Archie  Snob,  had  managed  to  have  nimself 
selected  as  Lord  Eroslove's  "best  man."  It  was  ar 
honor  he  coveted,  and  which  he  worthily  wore. 

Lord  Eroslove  desired  to  remain  a  week  or  so 
after  the  wedding  in  the  city  at  some  quiet  hotel 
or  villa,  tihns  giving  Gamaliel  time  to  receive  the  com- 
pliments and  adieus  of  her  friends  before  sailing 


252  Miss  Incognita 

for  England.  It  was  decided  that  the  wedding  should 
be  celebrated  at  the  Smith  mansion,  and  after  that  a 
reception  given  to  the  couple  at  Miss  Incognita's. 
It  was  further  arranged,  in  accordance  with  Miss  In- 
cognita's plan  and  desire,  that  instead  of  their  stop- 
ping at  a  hotel  during  their  short  stay  in  the  city 
they  were  to  occupy  her  mansion  and  be  her  guests. 

When  these  plans  were  submitted  to  Lord  Eros- 
love  he  replied  that  nothing  could  please  him  better. 
Gamaliel  was  delighted  to  spend  this  time  near  Miss 
Incognita,  whom  she  bad  grown  to  love  as  a  mother. 
And  as  for  Miss  Incognita,  she  was  joyous,  buoyant, 
exuberant,  over  this  arrangement !  Her  spirits  knew 
no  bounds.  She  began  the  decoration  and  arrange- 
ment of  her  house  a  full  week  before  the  lime  of 
the  wedding.  No  pains  or  expense  were  spared. 

The  bridal  apartments  on  the  second  floor  were 
decorated  and  furnished  in  white  and  gold,  and  they 
contained  every  appointment  to  add  to  their  luxury, 
charm  and  beauty. 

Before  the  day  of  the  wedding  the  halls  and 
rooms  on  the  first  and  second  floors  were  gardens  of 
palms  and  'rare  ferns  and  exotics. 

All  the  exquisite,  luxurious  effects  which  can  be 
produced  'by  the  blending  of  the  beauty  of  flowers 
and  the  wealth  of  tints  falling  from  the  rare  colors 
or  shaded  burners  and  chandeliers  -Id  be  seen 
here.  The  riches  of  nature's  adornment  vied  "with 
the  art  of  wan  in  producing  this  arrangement  and 
combination  of  beauty. 

There  was  a  strange,  long  room,  on  the  third  floor 


Judge  Not  253 

which  no  one  was  allowed  to  enter  except  Miss  Incog- 
nita. This  room  was  at  the  rear  end  of  the  hall, 
and  one  of  its  duors  opened  into  the  haH  and  another 
into  a  small  roo.m  adjoining  it.  When  the}'  were  ar- 
ranging the  other  parts  of  the  mansion  she  had  the 
workmen  run  an  electric  wire  capable  of  carrying 
five  hundred  volts  to  this  room.  She  herself  adjusted 
it  within  this  room,  but  what  purpose  she  had  in  view 
or  what  she  did  icith  it  no  one  knew. 

At  the  same  time  the  preparations  a-t  the  Smith 
mansion  were  going  forward  in  just  as  elaborate 
fashion. 

The  entire  first  floor  was  thrown  together,  and 
the  large  parlors  were  arranged  to  rep'-^pnt  a  chapel 
with  its  altars,  etc.  Here  the  ceremony  was  to  be 
performed,  and  Gamaliel  would  become  Lady  Eros- 
love. 

Two  days  before  the  wedding  two  important 
events  took  place.  One  was  the  arrival  of  Lord 
Eroslove,  who  was  taken  in  charge  by  Mr.  Archie 
Snob  and  assigned  quarters  in  one  of  those  fashion- 
able hotels  for  which  New  York  is  so  famous.  The 
other  event  was  that  Miss  Incognita  drove  in  her 
carriage  to  the  office  of  Mr.  Steele  A.  Fortune,  and 
these  two  together  drove  from  his  office  to  the  offices 
of  the  New  York  Life  Insurance  Company.  After 
a  short  consultation  with  the  officers  of  this  company 
they  were  given  two  sealed  documents,  which  they 
took  away  with  them.  On  the  twelfth  day  of  August 
previous  to  this  time  Eros  and  Gamaliel  were  eigh- 
teen years  of  age,  and  the  articles  of  their  adoption 


254  Miss  Incognita 

specified  that  when  they  reached  this  age  the  sealed 
documents  giving  an  account  of  their  birth,  parentage 
and  such  facts  only  as  the  father  wished  them  to  know 
could  be  had  from  the  trustee.  It  should  be  noted 
at  this  point  that  after  Lord  Eroslove  had  been  in- 
formed by  his  attorneys,  Steele  A.  Fortune  and  A. 
Fee,  tha-1*  the  children  whom  he  had  committed  to 
them  had  been  legally  adopted  by  good  parties  and 
the  funds  .properly  invested  in  trust,  as  directed  by 
him,  he  never  gave  himself  any  more  concern  about 
them. 

Mr.  Fortune  never  heard  anything  more  of  the  little 
baby  girl  whom  he  turned  over  to  Attorney  Fee  upon 
his  arrival  with  the  children  in  New  York,  and  hence 
never  knew  that  Gamaliel  was  this  little  girl.  Colonel 
Fee  dismissed*  the  whole  thing  from  his  mind  just 
as  quickly  as  he  concluded  arrangements  with  Mrs. 
John  Smith  for  the  child's  adoption.  One  or  two 
letters  passed  between  them  soon  thereafter,  and  that 
was  an  end  of  the  matter  so  far  as  he  was  concerned. 

The  engagement  of  Gamaliel!  and  Lord  Eroslove 
had  been  announced  in  all  the  papers,  and  much  had 
been  said  about  it  in  some  of  them.  Mr.  Fortune 
noticed  this  and  knew  at  once  that  Lord  Eroslove  was 
hi?  old  client  in  the  matter  with  Miss  Incognita.  He 
never  dreamed  that  she  had  discovered  the  identity 
of  the  father  of  Eros,  her  adopted  son.  He  now 
knew  that  'the  do.cum.ents  she  had  received  from  the 
trustees  would  disclose  him  to  her,  and  the  point  in 
his  mind  was,  whether  he  should  not  acquaint  Lord 
Eroslove  with  Miss  Incognita  while  he  was  over  on 


Judge  Not  255 

his  bridal  trip.  She  had  suspected  and  feared  this 
very  disclosure  of  her  identity  and  that  of  Eros,  and 
determined  to  prevent  it  at  all  hazards. 

So  as  they  were  driving1  back  to  the  attorney's 
office,  after  having  procured  the  documents  from  the 
trustee,  she  said : 

"Mr.  Fortune,  I  never  asked  but  one  favor  of 
you,  and  that  you  said  you  would  have  readily 
granted  me  if  it  had  not  involved  a  breach  of  pro- 
fessional confidence.  You  remember  what  that  was. 
Now  as  you  could  not  then  give  me  any  information 
about  Lord-Eroslove,  I  want  you  to  promise  me  now 
you  will  not  reveal  to  him  anything  concerning  my- 
self and  Eros.  I  am  sure  you  can  promise  me  this, 
and  do  it,  without  any  breach  of  professional  confi- 
dence. We  have  had  many  pleasant  evenings  togeth- 
er, and  you  have  done  much  for  my  pleasure,  and  this 
one  favor  I  ask  of  you." 
He  replied : 

"As  much  as  I  would  like  to 'let  him  know  how 
faithfully  and  successfully  I  had  discharged  my  dn.it  y, 
which  I  could  do  by  simply  revealing  you  to  him,  yet, 
since  you  request  -this  silence  on  my  part,  it  gives  me 
great  pleasure  to  observe  it." 

"Thank  you,  Mr.  Fortune,  but  I'll  tell  you  what 
you  may  do;  Just  the  day  before  Lord  and  Lady 
Eroslove  sail  you  may  tell  him  all.  You  may  do 
that;  I  AviM  consent  to  that,  just  because  you  are  al- 
ways so  kind  and  good." 

Mr.  Fortune  felt  pleased  and  flattered  and  could 
have  desired  nothing  more  than  this,  So  Miss  In- 


256  .         Miss  Incognita 

cognita,  having  now  relieved  her  mind-  of  this  point, 
felt  more  confident  and  buoyant  than  even. 

Upon  her  return  home  she  found  a  note  from  Mr. 
Archie  Snob  saying  that  be  and  Lord  Ei'oslove  would 
call  that  afternoon,  as  the  latter  was  desirous  to 
meet  the  dearest  friend  of  his  betrothed,  whose 
guests  he  and  Lady  Eroslove  expected  to  be  for  some 
dlays  after  the  marriage. 

The  reception  of  this  note  elevated  the  spirits  of 
this  now  radiant  woman  many  degrees.  The  expec- 
tation of  this  meeting  seemed  to  give  a  glow  to  her 
blood,  which  tinctured  her  skin  to  the  richest  tones. 
She  dressed  herself  in  a  house  gown  of  ivory  satin 
trimmed  ie  point  lace.  At  her  throat  was  pinned 
a  single  white  rosebud,  in  the  center  of  a  cluster  of 
pale  pink  violets.  Her  hair  was  gathered  and  held 
upon  her  head  with  a  diamond  brooch  in  the  shape 
of  a  crown,  which  shown  with  unusual  brilliancy 
a'gainst  her  cloud  of  dark  hair. 

As  Lord  Eroslove  was  presented  to  her  she  said: 

"I  am  delighted  to  meet  you,  Lord  Eroslove.  I 
have  heard  Gamaliel  speak  so  often  of  you,  and 
of  course  I  am  deeply  interested  an  the  one  who  is 
so  soon  to  become  her  husband.  You  have  won  a 
treasure  in  winning  her." 

"On  this  last  proposition  I  agree  with  you  hearti- 
ly, Miss  Incognita.  And  it  would  be  but  a  waste  of 
words  to  assure  you  of  the  pleasure  it  gives  me  to 
know  the  dearest  friend  Gamaliel  has.  You  really 
seem  but  a  few  years  her  senior,  so  I  can  under- 
stand her  congenial  feeling  toward  you." 


Judge  Not  •  257 

At  this  she  and  Mr.  Snob  laughed,  and  she  said: 

"You  doubtless  base  your  kind  compliment  upon 
the  fact  of  my  youthful  appearance,  .which  is  so 
aptly  expressed  in  the  old  adage  that  a  woman  is  as 
old  as  she  looks  and  a  man  as  ol'd  as  he  feels.  If 
this  be  true,  then  I  combine  both  similitudes  in  my- 
s«tlf,  for  I  am  sure  I  feel  younger  than  I  look." 

"Then  I  am  sure  you  are  but  Gamaliel's  equal  in 
years,"  he  replied,  smiling  at  her. 

He  appeared  so  real,  so  like  himself,  that  Miss 
Incognita  would  certainly  have  lost  control  of  her- 
self if  she  had  not  previously  accustomed  her  emo- 
tions to  him  and  disciplined  her  mobile  features,  as 
she  observed  him  from  the  dark  room  in  the  London 
hotel. 

They  had  intended  their  call  to  be  quite  a  short 
one,  but  Mr.  Snob  noticed  that  Lord  Eroslove  lost 
all  idea  of  time,  as  this  beautiful,  brilliant  woman 
held  him  spellbound  with  her  wit,  vivacity  and  learn- 
ing, all  expressed  with  a  melodious  voice  of  inimi- 
table intonation  and  softness  of  accent.  He  listen- 
ed to  her  and  looked  into  her  eyes  as  though  the 
ecstacy  of  a  dream  possessed  him  or  some  strange 
fascination  held  him  spellbound.  Her  soul  seemed  to 
be  in  her  eyes  and  voice,  and  Mr.  Snob  thought  to 
himself  as  they  bade  her  adieu  and  left  the  mansion 
that  he  had  never  before  seen  her  half  so  beautiful. 
He  also  thought  he  understood  ttie  true  reason  why 
she  would  never  consent  to  meet  Lord  Eroslove  when 
he  was  pressing  his  suit  for  Gamaliel!  It  were  well 
for  Gamaliel's  chances  that  it  bad  been  as  it  was! 


258  Miss  Incognita 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

THE  BEGINNING  OF  THE  END. 

The  clay  of  the  wedding  had  now  come,  and  all 
things  were  ready.  During  the  day  Gamaliel  felt  the 
depression  of  a  nervous  anxiety,  which  made  her  sad 
and  restless. 

She  wandered  about  the  house  trying  to  shake  off 
her  heavy  feelings  toy  prying  into  this  and  that  and 
busying  herself  about  everything.  She  received  a 
letter  from  Eros  w'hich  made  her  weep  until  her 
tears  settled  upon  the  letter  like  the  morning  dew 
upon  the  grass.  She  went  into  the  library,  and, 
opening  first  one  book  and  then  another,  read  snatches 
from  them.  In  one  volume  her  eyes  rested  upon  this 
passage,  which  she  read  and  re-read: 

"If  thou  comest  too  late,  0  my  ideal !  I  shall  not 
have  the  power  to  love  thee.  My  soul  is  like  a 
dovecote  full  of  doves.  At  every  'hour  of  the  day 
there  flies  forth  some  desire.  The  doves  return  to 
the  cote,  hut  desires  return  not  to  the  heart.  The 
azure  of  the  sky  becomes  white  with  tiheir  countless 
swarms. 

"They  pass  away  through  space  from  world  to 
world,  from  clime  to  clime,  in  quest  of  my  Love, 
where  they  may  perch  and  pass  the  night.  Hasten 
thy  steps,  0  my  Dream !  0  my  Love !  or  thou  wilt 
find  in  the  empty  nest  .but  the  shells  of  the  birds  that 
have  flown  away." 


The  Beginning  of  the  End          259 

When  she  had  finished  reading  these  beautiful 
lines  she  hastened  to  her  escretoire  and  quickly 
penned  them  to  Eros,  and  signed  her  name,  "Your 
own  sad  Gamaliel."  This  letter  she  bad  a  servant  t« 
secretly  post.  She  was  under  a  promise  not  to  in- 
form Eros  of  the  marriage,  and  this  letter  was  the 
nearest  she  could  come  toward  expressing  to  him 
the  deep,  sorrowful  yearnings  of  her  heart.  The 
nearer  the  time  approached  the  less  attractive  be- 
came to  her  the  boasted  honors  of  her  alliance  with 
Lord  Eroslove,  and  the  more  desperate  became  the 
yearnings  of  her  love  for  Eros.  "Oh !"  she  thought, 
"if  he  would  only  come!  Even  now  I  would  fly  with 
him  to  the  ends  of  the  earth !  Why  did  I  ever  let 
them  cause  me  to  be  faithless  to  my  love1?  O1  God, 
what  a  heart  I  have,  that  can  thus  love  and  yet  be 
untrue!"  But  soon,  even  now,  the  shadows  of  even- 
ing were  settling  upon  the  earth,  and  the  shadows  of 
despair  about  her  heart !  With  the  advent  of  the 
night  came  the  advent  of  her  doom. 

The  wedding  and  the  ceremony  were  not  dif- 
ferent from  other  select  affairs  of  this  kind.  A 
hundred  or  so  acqaintances  and  friends  were  in  at- 
tendance. At  the  last  moment  Mr?.  John  Smith  was 
overcome  with  severe  nervous  headache,  and  it  de- 
volved upon  Miss  Incognita  to  give  Gamaliel  to  Lord 
Eroslove.  As  these  two  women  approached  the  al- 
tar they  were  the  center  of  all  attraction.  Every 
eye  that  could  get  within  range  was  focused  upon 
them. 

face  was  pale  and  sad,  and  her  dreamy 


260  Miss  Incognita 

violet  eyes  were  cast  down,  and  the  long,  dark  lashes 
seem  as  if  trying  to  hide  their  tearful  depths  from 
the  gaze  of  all.  She  looked  as  though  her  heart  was 
keeping  time  with  the  music,  and  with  each  throb 
was  saying  to  her: 

"Traitress  to  love !     Traitress  to  love !" 

Miss  Incognita  was  a  personification  of  queenly 
loveliness  and  radiance.  No  empress  ever  ap- 
proached her  throne  with  more  stately  magnificence 
than  she  manifested  as  she  led  Gamaliel  to  the  altar 
and  then  stood  there  with  her  facing  Lord  Eroslove ! 
Her  rich  bodice  of  snow-white  satin  was  cut  modest- 
ly decollete,  displaying  all  of  her  graceful  throat. 
She  wore  no  ornaments,  for  nothing  could  adorn  the 
beauty  of  that  throat  and  'bosom. 

Gamaliel's  toilet  of  white  silk  and  point  lace 
was  fastened  close  up  to  the  neck  with  a  pin  of  dia- 
monds. The  stones  were  clustered  to  represent  a 
heart,  and  the  center  stone  was  a  large,  rich  ruby 
This  cluster  might  be  aptly  said  to  represent  her 
heart,  and  that  ruby  her  love  for  Eros. 

The  position  as  they  stood  before  the  altar  put 
Miss  Incognita  and  Lord  Eroslove  face  to  face.  Her 
eyes  were  fastened  upon  his  face  and  were  nevef 
once  removed  therefrom.  The  freshness,  beauty  and 
buoyancy  of  her  face  and  person  seemed  to  fascinate 
him  and  caused  him  to  rivet  his  gaze  upon  her  in- 
stead of  the  bride.  There  are  women  who,  when  they 
choose,  can  contract  their  souls  and  make  themselves 
appear  dull  and  lifeless,  and  then,  when  the  proper 
person  and  occasion  arouse  them,  they  can  let  their 


The  Beginning  of  the  End  261 

souls  loose  until  their  being  becomes  a  halo  of  beau- 
ty and  inspiration !  Such  had  Miss  Incognita  done 
upon  this  night,  which  marked  the  beginning  of  her 
victorious  revenge  over  the  man  who  stood  before 
her.  She  possessed  the  spirit  of  an  eagle  and  the 
wings  of  her  outraged  love  had  plumed  themselves 
for  a  wonderful  flight ! 

Those  who  observed  her  face  and  eyes  at  that  mo- 
ment when  she  placed  Gamaliel's  cold  and  trembling 
hand  in  the  grasp  of  Lord  Eroslove  saw  that  her 
eyes  glittered  and  her  lips  a.nd  cheeks  were  aflame! 

The  brief  service  was  soon  concluded,  and  the 
party  were  driven  to  Miss  Incognita's  mansion, 
where  a  reception  was  tendered  Lord  and  Lady  Eros- 
love,|and  they  received  the  congratulations  of  friends. 

A  circumstance  occurred  as  the  newly-married 
couple  were  passing  from  the  door  of  the  Smith  man- 
sion to  their  carriage,  which  should  be  here  noted. 
They  were  slowly  making  their  way  through  the 
crowd  of  people  assembled  on  or  thronging  tbe  street, 
when  a  woman  disguised  in  a  black  hood  made  her 
way  to  the  side  of  Lord  Eroslove  and  thrust  a  sealed 
note  into  his  hand,  at  the  same  time  hissing  between 
her  teeth  these  words : 

"Tonight,  first  look  upon  her  breasts.  Beware, 
and  fail  not  to  do  it!" 

Then  before  he  could  detect  whom  she  was  she 
•was  lost  in  the  crowd.  From  the  moment  these 
words  pierced  his  ears  a  feeling  of  awe  and  dismay 
seized  upon  his  spirits,  which  he  found  it  impossible 
to  shake  off  by  either  the  gay  levity  of  conversation 


262  Miss  Incognita 

or  the  exhilarating  effects  of  wine.  He  noticed  that 
the  only  calm,  sweet  moments  he  had  during  the 
evening  were  when  Miss  Incognita  blessed  him  with 
her  radiant  presence.  She  impressed  him  more  and 
more  as  a  gifted  creation,  who  was  designed  to 
charm  and  captivate  those  about  her  and  minister 
to  their  pleasure.  Not  that  these  emotions  toward 
her  detracted  from  or  interfered  with  his  love  for 
Gamaliel !  Not  at  all !  He  realized  that  he  loved  her 
as  he  had  never  loved  any  one.  He  had  no  shadow 
of  a  doubt  on  this  point.  He  knew  the  distinction 
between  a  passing  or  even  a  deep  passion  and  the 
sacred  ecstacy  of  love  too  well  to  be  deceived  as  to 
the  quality  of  his  emotions  for  her.  But  one  love  in 
his  life  had  ever  approached  this,  and  that  passion 
was  dead  long,  long,  ago. 

Miss  Incognita  inspired  within  him  a  feeling  of 
high  esteem  and  admiration  which  caused  him  to 
quickly  recognize  that  strength  of  her  nature  which 
could  be  relied  upon  and  leaned  upon  in  trouble  and 
sore  distress.  Hence,  from  the  moment  he  heard 
those  mysterious  woi'ds  (which  had  not  reached  Ga- 
maliel's ear),  and  had  had  thrust  into  his  hand  that 
yet  unopened  note  which  so  oppressed  his  spirits,  he 
had  felt  himself  drawn  toward  Miss  Incognita  for 
relief  and  succor.  Yet  he  knew  he  could  not,  would 
not,  dare  not  mention  to  her  this  mysterious  and 
menacing  message  which  had  been  so  stealthily  de- 
livered to  hJhi. 

"Doubtless,"  he  would  say  to  himself,  "there  is 
no  meaning  to  it.  It  was  but  the  crazy  act  of  some 


The  Beginning  of  the  End  263 

lunatic's  mind!  Or  perhaps  it  was  a  coarse  joke  of 
some  plefbian  in  the  crowd  that  had  gathered  there  on 
the  street." 

Then  he  would  grow  impatient  of  the  prolonged 
festivities.  It  seemed  to  him  the  reception  would 
never  end.  Gamaliel's  arm  appeared  to  rest  lifeless- 
ly in  his,  and  he  could  detect  no  spark  of  gayety  in 
her  modest,  beautiful  face.  Now  and  then  he  touch- 
ed her  hand  and  it  was  cold.  He  constantly  felt  his 
left  hand  clutching  that  mysterious  note  in  his  pocket, 
and  it  seemed  hot  to  him,  as  though  there  was  a  glow- 
ing coal  inside.  He  longed  to  open  it,  and  yet  he 
feared  to  do  it.  He  felt  toward  it  much  as  a  cul- 
prit does  toward  the  reception  of  his  sentence.  He 
must  know  what  it  is,  and  yet  the  th'ought  of  it  makes 
his  heart  quake  and  his  knees  smite  together! 

All  during  the  evening  Miss  Incognita  watched 
his  face.  She  glanced  at  him  from  every  conceivable 
point  and  angle.  She  observed  his  restless  eye  and 
the  deep  dimple  in  his  pertruded  chin.  Now  and  then 
she  noticed  his  tender  glances  at  Gamaliel,  accom- 
panying tender  words,  and  she  saw  that  Gamaliel  re- 
ceived them  without  animation  or  display  of  any 
emotion. 

The  reception  had  now  come  to  a  close  and  the 
last  of  the  guests  were  departing.  The  hostess  then 
turned  her  attention  to  the  bride  and  groom.  She 
observed  that  Lord  Broslove  was  restless  and  ner- 
vous and  Gamaliel  was  demure  and  shy. 

She  came  up  to  them  in  her  charming  way,  say- 
ing: 


264  Miss  Incognita 

"I  am  sure  Lord  and  Lady  Eroslove  must  be 
wearied  and  wish  to  retire.  I  will  have  the  sei'vants 
attend  you  to  your  rooms  at  once." 

"Thank  you,  Miss  Incognita.  I  fear  Gamaliel  is 
wearied." 

Gamaliel  acquiesced  by  the  silence  of  a  slight 
smile,  and  they  were  shown  to  their  apartments  on 
the  second  floor. 


A  Foretaste  of  Retribution          265 

9 

CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

A   FORETASTE   OF   RETRIBUTION. 

WHEN  Lord  and  Lady  Eroslove  reached  their 
bridal  apartments  he  kissed  her,  and,  leaving  her 
with  her  maid,  he  quickly  retired  to  the  ndjoining 
room.  Here,  being  alone,  he  opened  the  sealed  note 
and  read  it.  It  contained  the  same  words  w'lich  had 
been  whispered  to  him  by  his  unknown  informant 
on  the  crowded  street.  There  was  but  one  way  to 
decide  its  meaning  and  import,  and  that  was  by  obey- 
ing it.  He  would  see  for  himself  whether  it  really 
pointed  him  to  some  terrible  secret  or  was  but  a  joke 
perpetrated  on  him  by  a  meddling  fool.  He  waited 
until  late  in  the  night,  when  he  knew  Gamaliel  was 
in  a  deep  sleep.  It  was  at  the  still  hour  half  way 
between  midnight  and  day,  when  he  silently  made  his 
way  to  her  bedside.  He  turned  a  gentle  though 
ample  light  into  the  room  sufficient  to  reveal  to  his 
eye  whatever  he  desired  to  see.  One  of  her  arms  was 
thrown  back  on  her  downy  pillow,  with  the  pink 
palm  of  the  dimpled  hand  turned  upward  in  close 
proximity  to  her  face.  The  other  was  lying  careless- 
ly across  her  bosom.  Her  flushed  lips  were  half 
parted,  showing  the  points  of  her  white,  even  rows 
of  teeth.  Her  head  was  turned  slightly  to  one  side 
revealing  an  artistic  curvature  of  her  slender  throat. 

It  was  necessary  for  him  to  remove  her  hand 
from  over  her  bosom  before  he  could  pry  into  that 


266  Miss  Incognita 

secret  for  which  his  heart  was  yearning.  When  he 
bent  over  her  to  take  her  hand  his  hand  trembled  as 
though  it  had  ibeen  stricken  with  palsy.  He  stood 
upright  again  and  rubbed  his  hands  together,  and 
then  noiselessly  strode  the  room,  trying  to  calm  him- 
self. The  room  was  warm,  and  the  gentle  sleeper 
had  but  a  slight,  filmy  covering  over  her,  and  this 
clung  in  caressing  grace  about  her  reclining  figure,  re- 
vealing each  rare  curve,  each  rich  fullness  and  the 
splendor  of  each  rounded  segment.  Lord  Eroslove 
again  bent  over  her,  and  with  one  gentle  touch  re- 
moved her  hand  and  left  her  bosom  unguarded  save 
by  the  slender  hold  of  a  pearly  clasp  which  held  her 
nightrobe.  This,  also,  he  deftly  removed,  and  then 
the  fluffy  folds  of  her  silk  gown  were  rolled  back. 
As  he  did  this  his  eyes  focused  their  vision  upon  a 
strange  band  of  green.  He  first  thought  it  was  a 
green  ribbon  connected  in  some  way  with  her  toilet, 
but  when  he  bent  lower  and  looked  more  closely 
his  eyes  became  riveted  upon  the  following  charac- 
ters extending  and  coiling  themselves  across  both 
of  her  beautiful  breasts: 
"—Love." 
"—Mas." 

He  pressed  his  trembling  hand  upon  hi?  brow, 
closed  his  eyes  as  if  to  dispel  an  illusion  which  he 
thought  was  taking  possession  of  him,  or  to  recall 
some  dim  memory  of  long  ago.  He  again  looked  at 
these  mysterious  characters  with  the  most  intense 
concentration  of  vision  and  thought.  All  at  once 
remorseless  01601017  did  its  duty.  This  strong  man's 


A  Foretaste  of  Retribution         267 

eyes  swam  in  their  sockets.  His  heart  almost  ceased 
its  beating  under  the  crushing  weight  of  a  flood  of 
inrushing  memories  and  emotions.  The  currents  of 
his  blood  reversed  their  courses,  even  as  the  water 
is  driven  up  its  channel  by  some  mighty  i*evulsive 
force.  Then  he  sank  upon  .the  floor  by  her  bed  in  a 
swooning  torture  of  agony,  while  deep,  muffled 
groans  issued  from  beneath  his  set  teeth.  His  frame 
trembled  until  the  very  floor  quivered  and  vibrated 
beneath  him.  He  remained  thus  for  an  hour  or  more, 
during  which  time  all  the  angels  and  ghosts  and  de- 
mons and  devils  of  his  selfish  life  passed  in  review 
before  him.  He  saw  the  poor,  suffering,  trusting 
woman  of  his  youth,  and  heard  her  wails  and  moans, 
as  they  followed  him  from  the  Chicago  apartment 
house  that  day  when  he  last  heard  her  voice.  He 
saw  her  sad,  white,  emaciated  face  pressed  against 
the  window-pane  and  beheld  her  pleading  eyes  as 
they  followed  him  far  down  the  street.  In  his  ima- 
gination he  saw  her  spending  the  remainder  of  her 
days  in  the  walls  of  a  madhouse  where  he  had  sent 
her,  and  he  heard  the  shrieks,  wails  and  jabberings 
of  raving  lunatics  by  whom  she  was  surrounded. 

Then  the  imagination  carried  him  to  Primrose  Hill 
Park,  and  the  eyes  of  a  trusting  woman  there  stared 
at  him  from  out  the  flowers,  and  the  curse  of  his 
perjured  passion  took  hideous  shape  by  her  side,  and 
held  in  its  hand  a  sword  of  flame. 

Next  he  was  upon  an  isle  of  the  sea,  and  the  waves 
were  wailing  and  splashing  around  him,  and  he  saw 
a  beautiful  woman  go  down  into  the  valley  of  the 


268  Miss  Incognita 

shadow  oi  death  on  his  account.  He  beheld  her  pains 
and  her  pangs,  which  she  endured  with  the  fortitude 
and  the  heroism  of  a  martyr.  He  .saw  her  come 
up  out  of  the  valley  of  her  travail  bearing  two  young- 
lives  freshly  transplanted  here  from  the  realm  of 
the  unknown.  Then  with  remorseless  haste  his  mem- 
ory hurried  him  to  a  little  cabin,  where  there  enacted 
before  his  eyes  the  vision  of  his  torture  and  abandon- 
ment of  these  little  lives.  He  again  saw  their 
innocent  faces,  their  wondering  eyes,  and  again  heard 
their  shrieks  of  pain,  as  "Old  Gymp  the  conjurer" 
bent  over  and  tortured  them  at  his  command.  His 
thoughts  then  hurried  him  to  the  present  and  he 
found  himself  lying  on  his  back  in  this  his  bridal 
chamber,  and  in  his  imagination  he  saw  old  Gymp  the 
conjurer  bending  his  saffron,  wrinkled  face  and 
white  bushy  head  over  him,  and  in  his  bony  hand  he 
held  a  long  sharp-pointed  instrument  of  torture  and 
in  the  other  hand  a  grinning  skull,  out  of  which 
issued  a  flame  of  green,  and  he  was  torturing  his 
heart  and  filling  its  fibres  and  its  chambers  "with  this 
lurid  flame.  The  fumes  arose  to  the  frescoed  ceiling 
of  the  room  and  gathered  themselves  inio  weird 
shapes,  and  then  writhed  themselves  into  serpent 
forms  like  letters.  He  looked  again  and  behold!  he 
read  there  this  sentence  in  letters  of  fire:  "An  ex- 
periment out  of  marriage." 


After-Scenes  269 

CHAPTER  XXIX. 

AFTER-SCENES — EROS'S    DISCOVERY. 

LORD  EROSLOVE  crawled  upon  the  floor  to  the  ad- 
joining room.  He  went  to  one  of  his  portmanteaus 
and  took  from  it  a  flask  of  -brandy  which  he  drained 
to  the  last  drop. 

From  that  time  until  day  he  walked  his  room  with 
a  quick,  unsteady  tread.  As  he  walked,  he  tried  to 
think  what  he  must  do.  The  fearful  explosion 
within  him  had  scattered  his  faculties,  even  as  a 
blast  of  nitro-glycerine  scatters  the  masses  of  rocks 
which  confine  it. 

At  one  moment  he  thought  he  would  reveal  all  to 
Gamaliel's  adopted  parents.  Then  he  would  recoili 
from  the  dark  revelation  of  his  past  life  which  this 
would  render  necessary.  He  decided  at  one  time 
he  would  rush  in  and  take  Gamaliel  in  his  arms,  and 
acknowledge  all  to  her,  and  strive  to  win  her  love 
as  a  father  instead  of  as  a  husband.  But  he  feared 
the  terrible  revulsion  in  her  nature  which  this  course 
would  inevitably  produce.  Then  he  came  to  the 
conclusion  that  he  would  abandon  her  and  secretly 
fly  to  England.  But  his  sober,  selfish,  second  thought 
warned  him  of  the  ruin  this  would  surely  bring  upon 
him. 

There  was  one  sure  course  left  to  him,  which  would 
solve  all  so  far  as  he  was  concerned.  It  was  easy  to 
die!  Yes,  this  was  a  quick,  sure  plan,  and  he  would 


270  Miss   Incogni,. 

adopt  it.  What  more  could  life  be  to  him  now? 
Had  he  not  drained  the  cup  of  all  its  ordinary 
sweets?  Had  not  his  life  been  cou_  *o<-od  to  the 
pleasurable  gratification  of  all  of  his  senses,  and  to 
the  constant  enjoyment  of  all  sensual  delights'?  Had 
not  his  desire  sipped  the  sweetness  from  all  the 
flowers  of  love's  beauty,  even  as  busy  bees  sip  the 
dewy  honey  from  the  flowers  of  earth's  seasons'? 
Why  should  he  care  to  live  until  that  leaden  day 
when  passion  relapses  into  dull,  withered  calm,  and 
voluptuous  desire  turns  palsied  torpor;  when  love's 
langourous  dreamy  tranquility  degenerates  to 
weariness;  and  the  sensuous  gratification,  which  once 
gave  eestacy,  becomes  degraded  into  the  conscience- 
less calm  of  death  preferable  to  this  state?  Then, 
should  he  live  on,  and  suffer  this  new  torture,  which 
like  a  fury  had  hurled  itself  upon  him?  Had  not  his 
amorous  heart  loved  Gamaliel  with  all  its  fathom- 
less intensity,  and  had  not  his  lecherous  blood  been 
stirred  to  the  very  subterranean  depths  of  its  passion 
to  possess  and  enjoy  her  beauty,  and  mingle  its 
tainted  currents  with  the  virgin  courses  of  her  veins, 
which,  God  help  him!  was  already  filled  with  blood 
of  his  blood?  And  he  to  have  felt  thus  toward  his 
own — !  "My  God,"  he  cried  aloud,  "I  will  not,  I 
cannot  endure  it!" 

Trembling  as  with  palsy  be  took  his  revolver  from 
its  case  and  quickly  loaded  it.  He  shut  tight  the 
door  between  his  room  and  Gamaliel's,  and  then  sat 
down  at  a  desk  an,d  wrote  a  note.  When  he  had 
finished  is,  he  addressed  it  to  Gamaliel.  He  took  up 


After-Scenes  271 

the  revolve  and  cocked  it.  Then  he  laid  it  down,  and 
looked  excitedly  about  the  room,  as  if  trying  to 
think  of  something  else,  or  to  collect  his  thoughts. 
He  again  seized  the  weapon !  His  eyes  were  blood- 
shot, his  face  pale  as  death,  and  the  great  dimple 
in  his  chin  was  purple  to  its  depth.  His  hand 
trembled  like  a  dead  leaf  in  a  whirlwind.  All  at 
once  his  blue  lips  parted,  and  he  muttered:  "Oh, 
coward,  coward  that  I  am,  why  does  the  fear  of 
death  reverse  the  law  of  my  being,  and  make  me 
rather  endure  a  living  death  than  submit  myself  to 
unconscious  repose !  Then  Courage  !  Courage !  I  will 
look  upon  her  face  once  more.  I  will  again  see  my 
Gamaliel  as  she  was  to  me,  and  then  as  she  is,  and 
courage  will  come  to  me  and  steady  this  cowardly 
hand." 

Trembling  he  stole  back  into  (the  room  where 
Gamaliel  slept.  He  crept  to  her  bedside  nnd  was 
gazing  intently  upon  her  when  all  at  once  she 
revealed  the  dawn  of  her  violet  eyes,  and  looked  at 
him  a  moment,  and  then  quickly  extending  her  arms 
toward  him,  said  with  a  smile  rising  to  her  lips : 
"My  husband." 

The  now  bewildered  man  waved  his  hand  like  a 
sceptre  up  and  down  over  the  fresh,  beautiful  girl, 
saying  in  a  weird  kind  of  way,  "Gamaliel,  sleep 
on !  sleep  on !  sleep  on !"  at  the  same  time  backing 
out  of  her  room  into  his  own,  and  closing  the  door. 
He  raised  the  white  shades,  and  rolled  back  the 
curtains  from  the  windows  in  his  room,  anr1  in 
rushed  a  cheerful  flood  of  bright  light,  for  now  it  was 


272  Miss  Incognita 

day,  and  the  genial  October  sun  was  flooding  the 
earth  with  a  wealth  of  autumnal  glory.  The  splendor 
of  the  dawn  and  the  gorgeous  aspect  of  the  city, 
bathed  in  this  flood-tide  of  light,  seemed  to  check 
Lord  Eroslove's  desperate  purpose,  and  to  infuse 
some  hope  into  his  heart — for  he  put  away  the 
revolver,  saying: 

"Yes,  I  will  tell  Miss  Incognita  all.  That  rare, 
beautiful  woman  is  full  of  strength  and  resources, 
and  in  her  I  may  find  rescue  and  consolation.  I  will 
hasten  down,  and  take  a  morning  walk;  this  may 
revive  me.  Then  I  will  see  her." 

All  during  the  night  the  sound  of  his  agitated 
footsteps  had  been  heard  both  by  Gamaliel  and  Miss 
Incognita. 

But  these  two  listened  to  them  with  emotions  of 
very  different  kinds.  To  Miss  Incognita  they  were 
as  the  drumbeat  announcing  a  victorious  battle!  In 
the  expectant  heart  of  the  bride  they  aroused  an 
uncertain,  morbid  curiosity,  bordering  on  conster- 
nation and  dismay!  Had  his  heart,  after  getting  hers 
in  its  power,  turned  against  her1?  Had  all  his  pleas- 
ure been  in  winning  her  and  was  there  none  in  the 
possession  of  her?  Why  was  he  staring  at 
her  so  strangely  and  ghastly  when  she  awoke,  and 
why  his  strange  words  and  conduct1?  Had  he  seen 
that  fateful  mark  upon  her  ibosom  and  had  this 
appalled  and  repelled  him?  She  felt  for  the  clasp 
of  her  gown  and  it  was  not  there,  aud  she  discovered 
11  "*  the  folds  of  her  nightrobe  had  been  rolled  back 


After-Scenes  273 

exposing  all  to  his  eye.  Then  she  called,  him,  but  he 
did  not  answer.  She  went  into  the  other  room  and 
he  was  not  there.  Had  he  indeed  deserted  her? 
(She  did  not  know  that  he  had  gone  out  for  a  walk.) 
Then  she  knew  he  did  not  love  her  as  Eros  did,  for,  if 
so,  this  mark .  upon  her  would  not.  have  caused  him 
to  be  so  cruel!  He  would  have  overlooked  much  for 
the  sake  of  her  love. 

From  the  time  Lord  Eroslove  had  so  weirdly  left 
her  bed  she  had  been  in  tears.  Her  breakfast  was 
sent  to  her  room,  but  she  could  eat  nothing.  She 
waited,  expecting  he  would  come  up  to  her  room,  but 
he  came  not.  Miss  Incognita  came  and  comforted 
her  by  informing  her  that  Lord  Eroslove  had  been 
quite  ill  during  the  night,  and  had  gone  out  early  to 
get  the  benefit  of  the  morning  air. 

"Then,  as  he  is  out,  if  you  will  excuse  me,  I  will 
drive  over  to  my  mother's." 

"Of  course,  Gamaliel.  The  drive  will  be  so  re- 
freshing to  you.  I  will  have  Lord  Eroslove  call  for 
you." 

The  departure  of  Gamaliel  just  suited,  for  the 
present,  Miss  Incognita's  purpose.  She  heard  Lord 
Eroslove  leave  the  house  and  she  was  expecting  him 
back  momentarily.  She  had  heard  enough  during 
the  night  to  know  that  the  arrow  of  revenge  had 
pierced  the  very  center  of  his  heart.  She  rmist 
prepare  herself  to  receive  him.  She  must  above  all 
attract  him  to  her  on  this  first  meeting.  So  she 
adorned  herself  in  a  striking,  picturesque  style.  Her 
morning  gown  was  of  black  moire,  with  slashings  of 


274  Miss  Incognita 

rose-colored  satin.  It  was  cut  low  enough  at  the 
throat  to  reveal  the  first  gentle  swelling  of  the  bosom. 
The  low  collar  was  bordered  with  a  frill  of  stiff 
Spanish  ruff,  interlaced  with  a  narrow  rose-colored 
ribbon.  The  sleeves  ended  just  below  the  elbows  in  a 
frill  of  the  same  stiff  Spanish  ruff.  All  the  fasten- 
ings of  the  gown  were  of  brilliant  jet.  The  rich 
moire  stuff  clung  tenaciously  to  her  figure  and 
revealed  a  model  over  which  Rubens  would  have 
gone  into  ecstacy.  It  is  impossible  to  describe  how 
exquisitely  the  combination  of  her  rich  black  gown 
with  its  trimmings  and  fastenings  of  rose-color  and 
brilliant  jet,  harmonized  with  the  soft,  shining- 
whiteness  of  her  skin,  and  the  dark  flood  of  her 
bea.utiful  hair.  She  wore  dark  slippers  gathered  with 
bright  jet  buckles.  She  ordered  their  breakfast 
served  in  her  own  private  dining  room.  This  dainty 
little  room  was  an  octagon,  and  in  each  angle  was 
a  vase  of  Italian  marble  filled  elternately  with  ferns 
and  red  camelias.  The  furniture  of  the  room  was 
of  embossed  leather. 

Between  -two  angles  of  the  room  was  a  leather 
couch,  over  which  was  thrown  a  covering  of  green 
silk.  Upon  this  Miss  Incognita  was  reclining  await- 
ing the  coming  of  Lord  Eroslove.  She  had  given 
orders  that  as  soon  as  he  returned  and  completed  his 
morning  toilet,  he  was  to  be  shown  into  this  room. 
A  faint,  sweet  perfume  filled  the  room,  like  a  deli- 
cate mixture  of  violets  and  sweet  pansies,  which 
exuded  from  cut  flowers  interlaced  among  the  ferns 
in  the  marble  vases.  Soon  Lord  Eroslove  was  an- 


After-Scenes  275 

nonnced  and  shown  into  the  room.  She  affected 
ennui  and  did  not  rise  to  meet  him,  but  greeted  him 
with  a  languorous  smile,  saying : 

"Will  you  pray  excuse  me,  my  lord,  from  rising1? 
The  lateness  of  the  evening's  pleasures,  which  I 
partook  of  with  too  much  zest,  makes  me  languid  and 
somewhat  faint.  Pray  take  this  chair  by  me.  I  hope 
you  feel  refreshed  this  morning." 

While  she  wawws  speaking  these  words,  her  eyes 
were  enjoying  a  rare  feast,  for  they  were  gloating 
over  a  face  that  had  grown  old  in  a  night.  His 
blue-black  eyes  were  bloodshot,  and  the  heaviness 
and  fullness  of  the  underlids  caused  them  to  hang  a 
little  out,  showing  a  portion  of  the  red  inner  sur- 
face. His  chin  was  a  mesh  of  furrows.  His  lips  and 
skin  had  a  purplish  hue,  and  the  large  underlip 
seemed  somewhat  congested,  as  though  it  had  been 
struck  by  a  blow  of  some  sort.  He  was  so  nervous 
that  the  muscles  of  his  face  involuntarily  twitched 
and  wriggled  now  and  then,  and  his  hands  were  very 
tremulous.  When  he  spoke  she  noticed  that  his  voice 
also  had  changed,  for  it  was  first  thick  and  then 
hollow.  On  her  invitation  he  came  over  to  the  seat 
by  her  conch.  She  extended  her  hand  to  him,  which 
he  grasped  in  his.  She  pressed  his  hand  warmly  and 
his  gave  her  a  response. 

"Miss  Incognita,  let  me  thank  you  for  your  morn- 
ing welcome.  I  can  assure  yon  I  sympathize  with 
you  in  your  feelings  of  ennui,  for  I  myself  have  been 
exceedingly  unwell  all  the  past  night." 

"Why,  my  lord,  this  is  too  bad !    My  dear  Gamaliel 


276  Miss  Incognita 

— excuse  me,  I  love  to  call  her  by  that  name — is  not 
quite  well,  and  upon  my  advice  has  taken  a  morning 
drive  over  to  her  mother's.  I  felt  sure  you  would 
spare  her  a  little  while." 

"It  was  indeed  so  thoughtful  in  you  to  suggest 
the  drive  to  her.  It  might  even  be  well  for  her  to 
spend  the  day  with  her  mother." 

"It  would  be  very  kind  and  indulgent  in  you  to 
spare  her  so  long,  I  am  sure." 

"You  see,  I  would  conform  myself  to  her  pleasure. 
Should  I  not  do  that? 

"Of  course,  if  you  could  content  yourself  here 
with  me." 

"To  unselfishly  spare  her,  and  content  myself  with 
you,  gives  me  double  pleasure." 

"Then,  my  lord,  you  may  prolong  it  as  much  as 
you  like,  for  what  gratifies  you,  more  than  delights 
me.  I  hope  your  indisposition  of  the  past  night  will 
soon,  very  soon,  have  passed  away." 

"Thank  you,  but  I  have  cause  to  believe  that  it  will 
not.  I  fear  the  consequences." 

"Then  there  is  cause  for  alarm,  my  lord.  Ah,  I 
will  have  to  take  you  under  my  charge,  and  rid  you  of 
your  malady." 

"If  you  can  do  that,  I  gladly  give  myself  over 
to  you." 

•"Then  my  first  prescription  is  this*,"  and  she 
touched  a  bell  and  had  a  delicious  breakfast  served. 

The  savory  breakfast,  her  charming  manner,  fresh 
beauty  and  coaxing,  musical  voice,  all  combined  to 
heighten  his  spirits  and  revive  his  energies. 


Aher-Scenes  277 

"How  quickly  has  she  made  me  fall  in  love  with 
life!"  he  thought  to  himself,  as  she  took  his  arm  and 
went  from  the  dining  room  into  the  parlor.  Here 
she  played  and  sang  for  him.  One  of  the  gems  she 
executed  was  a  Nocturne,  so  sweet  and  zad  and 
plaintive,  that  it  led  him  out  of  the  sorrows  of  the 
world,  and  coaxed  him  into  some  dreamland,  where 
love  and  beauty  were  always  young  and  gay,  and 
nothing  ever  came  to  blight  or  destroy.  As  he 
listened,  enraptured  with  this  rare  creature  of  mel- 
ody, his  memory  awoke,  and  he  thought,  "Ah,  how 
strange!  I  have  heard  that  divine  melody  before,  and 
how  much  it  is  like  hers !" 

And  his  mind  recalled  that  May  morning  of  long 
ago  when  in  the  apartment  house  in  Chicago  he  first 
heard  the  wonderful  execution  and  improvisation  of 
Eidola  Mandeville.  Then  his  thought  followed  this 
poor  lady  into  the  madhouse,  and  his  face  became 
sad,  and  he  did  not  enjoy  the  music. 

Miss  Incognita  had  just  arisen  from  the  piano, 
when  one  of  her  household,  companions  brought  her 
a  telegram.  She  tore  is  open  and  read  it.  The 
contents  were  as  follows : 

"MOTHER:  I  have  just  received  a  strange,  sad 
letter  from  Gamaliel.  Have  seen  news  of  her  mar- 
riage. I  shall  leave  for  home  this  evening.  Pray 
don't  forbid.— EROS." 

She  sent  this  hasty  reply: 

"EROS:  Await  my  letter  of  yesterday's  date.    For 


278  Miss  Incognita 

God's  sake,  note  well  its  contents.     Governed  by  it. 
you  can  take  such  steps  as   you  desire. — MOTHER." 

As  she  read  this  telegram,  and  answered  it,  she 
thought : 

"Just  as  I  expected.  Ah,  how  well  it  all  suits  my 
purposes  and  works  into  my  plans.  How  well  I  know 
him,  and  how  accurately  I  had  divined  his  course 
of  action !" 

Rage,  desperation  and  despair  all  in  turn  pos- 
sessed Eros.  By  turns  he  raved  and  wept.  He  swore 
Gamaliel  should  not  be  lost  to  him.  He  knew  she 
loved  him  alone,  and  that  she  had  been  influenced  to 
give  her  hand  to  this  nobleman,  while  her  heart  was 
his,  as  it  had  always  been !  Was  not  her  sad  letter, 
which  alas,  reached  him  too  late,  a  bitter  heart- 
broken wail  calling  him  to  her?  "Was  there  ever  such 
a  time  as  too  late  for  love.  Why  had  he  not  sus- 
pected this  mercenary  match-making?  Why  had  not 
Gamaliel  in  some  of  her  adorable  letters  given  him  a 
hint  of  this  cruel  tragedy  that  was  being  enacted 
upon  her  heart  and  at  the  expense  of  their  love? 
No  doubt,  she  was  under  surveillance.  He,  though 
yet  a  boy,  would  challenge  this  nobleman,  and  fight 
him  even  to  death !  He  would  make  his  way  to 
Gamaliel  even  if  it  lay  over  his  dead  body ! 

The  awful  passion  that  had  been  stirred  in  Eros' 
heart  for  Gamaliel  was  his  by  heredity.  His  hot 
blood  was  but  a  hotter  ferment  generated  from  the 
lecherous  admixture  of  the  venereal  stock  of  Hano- 
over  and  Eroslove. 


After-Scenes  279 

Now  this  passion  became  a  thousand-fold  more 
desperate,  when  he  realized  that  the  precious  object 
of  its  desire  had  been  taken  away;  yea,  not  only 
away,  but  had  become  the  unlawful  prey  of  another's 
passion. 

From  the  hour  the  fateful  news  of  Gamaliel's 
marriage  reached  Eros,  he  was  changed  from  a 
quiet,  docile  student  to  a  wild  and  reckless  mutineer. 
He  made  up  his  mind  to  defy  the  authority  of  his 
adopted  mother.  He  would  say  nothing  to  her  about 
it,  but  would  take  the  first  train  that  would  bear 
him  to  Gamaliel.  Finally  he  noticed  he  would  have 
time  to  communicate  with  his  mother  before  the 
train  would  leave  for  New  York.  He  then  sent  the 
message  which  we  saw  delivered  to  her  in  her 
parlor. 

In  a  short  while  he  received  her  puzzling  answer. 
He  paced  the  college  campus  reading  it,  and  trying 
to  unravel  its  contents. 

"Await  my  letter  of  yesterday's  date."  Then  he 
would  not  get  that  letter  until  the  evening  train  came 
in,  and  that  would  delay  him  until  tomorrow  after- 
noon in  reaching  Gamaliel.  By  that  time  she  might 
be  gone.  The  newspaper  account  stated,  "The  dis- 
tinguished couple  would  sail  for  England  in  a  few 
days."  This  letter  might  be  a  ruse  to  defer  his 
coming.  Ought  he  to  be  ensnared  by  it?  Yet,  could 
it  be  possible  that  his  mother,  who  had  always 
thrown  him  and  Gamaliel  together,  and  had  en- 
couraged and  nourished  their  young  love  for  each 
other,  had  taken  part  in  this  infamous  match-making 


280  Miss  Incognita 

between  his  sweetheart  and  this  English  nc/bleman. 

Ought  he  to  be  so  cruel  as  to  charge  her  with  such 
a  thing?  Besides  the  letter  seemed  to  be  one  of  great 
importance. 

He  decided  to  wait  for  it. 

With  the  telegram  clinched  in  his  hand,  and  his 
hand  thrust  into  his  pocket,  Eros  paced  back  and 
forth,  and  here  and  there,  until  the  postman  came  in 
sight  delivering  the  afternoon  mail.  Eros  ran  to 
meet  him.  The  expected  letter  was  handed  him  and 
seizing  it  he  tore  off  the  seal  and  read, — what? 

There  was  not  a  line  of  a  letter,  but  another 
sealed  envelope  inside,  on  the  front  face  of  which 
were  written  these  words  in  bright  red  ink: 

"In  case  you  flee  with  Gamaliel,  when  you  have 
gone,  open  and  read  this  letter  the  first  time  you  and 
she  are  alone.  Beware !  fail  not.  The  first  time  you 
and  she  are  alone." 

That  was  all.  Then  she  expected  him  to  flee  with 
Gamaliel,  and  this  was  the  only  condition  imposs'l 
upon  him.  How  lenient,  how  liberal  she  was! 

"I  swear  I  will  be  governed  by  it!"  And  as  he 
uttered  these  words  he  raised  his  right  hand. 


The  Events  After  the  Wedding      281 


CHAPTER   XXX. 

THE    EVENTS    OF    THE    DAY    AFTER    THE    WEDDING THE 

LETTER    FROM    THE    DEMENTED    LADY. 

IT  was  now  three  o'clock  of  the  day  after  the 
wedding.  Miss  Incognita's  carriage  had  just  re- 
turned from  the  Smith  mansion,  andin  it  were  she 
and  Lord  Eroslove. 

They  had  driven  over  to  Gamaliel.  He  had  con- 
sented to  go  with  the  greatest  hesitation.  Miss 
Incognita  noticed  that  whenever  the  name  "Lady 
Eroslove"  was  mentioned,  Lord  Froslove  took  on  the 
appearance  of  a  lunatic  stricken  with  palsy.  The 
most  intense  pain  seemed  to  shoot  like  electric  sparks 
through  every  fibre  of  his  being.  His  suffering  was 
tenfold  greater  than  her  vengeance,  even  in  its  most 
frenzied  moments,  had  ever  imagined  it  would  be. 
His  face  had  all  the  lines  of  pain,  all  the  perturba- 
tions of  torture,  of  a  condemned  criminal  awaiting 
his  sentence.  Gamaliel  was  in  her  bed  suffering  frf m 
hysterics,  and  begged  him  to  excuse  her.  He  seemed 
elated  at  being  thus  relieved  from  going  to  her  room, 
md  when  Miss  Incognita  said : 

'"Why,  of  course,  my  lord,  you  shall  see  her.  I 
,/ill  go  and  prepare  her  for  your  reception.  She 
does  not  understand." 

He  exclaimed,  at  the  same  time  seizing  her  franti- 
cally by  the  wrist: 


282  Miss   Incognita 

"Pray,  Miss  Incognita,  do  not  trouble  yourself! 
I  was  once  a  physician,  and  know  she  needs  perfect 
quiet  and  rest.  I  will  see  her  some  other  time — not 
today." 

"But,  my  lord,  what  will  her  parents  think?  She 
must  prepare  herself  and  go  home  with  you.  Would 
she  think  of  being  separated  from  you  the  day, 
evening  and  night  following  her  marriage1?" 

"But,  I  pray  you,  Miss  Incognita,  do  not  trouble 
yourself  about  my  sacrifice  in  being  denied  her.  It 
is  .better  she  should  remain  here  until  she  is  fully 
restored.  Besides,  my  indisposition  might  interfere 
very  much  with  her  rest  and  quiet." 

Miss  Incognita  noticed  one  point  gained  already : 
He  did  not  want  to  leave  her  side.  He  seemed  to  be 
leaning  upon  her.  He  was  careful  that  she  did  not 
leave  him.  So  when  she  drove  home  nothing  would 
do  but  he  must  go  with  her. 

This  night  she  was  to  spend  alone  in  her  mansion 
with  Lord  Eroslove. 

I  would  have  the  reader,  in  judging  of,  or  criti- 
cising Miss  Incognita's  course  of  action  in  relation 
to  Lord  Eroslove,  if  he  should  see  fit  to  indulge  in 
such,  'bear  in  mind  the  legal  relation  existing  be- 
tween her  and  him,  so  that,  conduct  unbecoming  in 
other  cases  and  toward  other  men,  was  not  so  with 
him. 

After  their  drive  from  the  Smith  mansion,  Miss 
Incognita  and  Lord  Eroslove  came  into  her  parlor 


The  Events  After  the  Wedding      283 

and  were  seated  together  upon  a  divan.  The  effect 
of  the  visit  to  the  Smiths  told  mightily  on  his  spirits, 
and  she  said  to  him  by  way  of  comforting  him,  so  far 
as  he  could  judge  of  her  motives. 

"You  should  not  allow  a  temporary  indisposition 
such  as  you  have,  my  lord,  to  cause  you  to  become 
so  sorrowful.  Often,  when  I  am  sad  from  some 
trivial  cause,  such  as  afflicts  you,  I  contrast  my  con- 
dition with  that  of  some  poor  unfortunate  one,  who 
exists  and  suffers  deep  down  in  the  depths  of  despair. 
So  to  cheer  up  your  spirits,  my  lord,  if  you  do  not 
object  to  the  recital,  I  will  tell  you  of  an  incident 
which  has  come  under  my  own  observation." 

"Why,  I  would  be  delighted.  No  one's  voice 
sounds  half  so  sweet  to  me  now  as  yours,  and  no  one 
comforts  me  so  much  as  you — since — ah,  that  is, 
since  lady — ah,  Gamaliel  has  been  ill." 

"Then  I  will  tell  you.  Sit  nearer,  if  you  do  not 
object,  my  lord." 

And  Lord  Eroslove  moved  close  to  her  side,  and  in 
his  despair  felt  that  she  was  a  great  comfort  to  him. 
Then  she  proceeded : 

"About  one  year  ago  I  was  visiting  some  friends 
in  the  city  of  Chicago.  Their  residence  was  situated 
not  far  from  the  asylum  for  the  insane,  and  on 
several  occasions  we  visited  it,  and  became  acquainted 
with  a  number  of  the  patients.  One  of  these  in- 
mates, whose  acquaintance  I  made,  was  a  lady  who 
looked  to  be  about  forty-five  years  of  age,  but  she 
may  not  have  been,  for  she  seemed  to  be  prema- 
turely aged.  Her  hair,  which  bad  been  black,  was 


284  Miss  Incognita 

almost  white.  Her  emaciated  face  was  thin  and 
classic  in  its  outline,  and  its  expression  was  inex- 
pressibly sad  and  pitiful.  She  had  large,  deep  violet 
eyes,  which  had  a  far-away,  dreamy  expression,  but 
they  did  not  look  as  old  as  her  face  and  her  hair. 

"Her  mind  seemed  to  be  perfectly  lucid,  and  it  was 
a  special  form  of  her  insanity,  so  they  said,  that  she 
always  claimed  to  be  perfectly  sane.  She  had  fear- 
ful spells  of  melancholia,  and  would  almost  weep  her 
heart  away. 

"I  did  much  to  comfort  her  and  cheer  her  spirits 
on  my  visits  to  the  institution,  and,  on  account  of  the 
friendship  and  interest  I  manifested  for  her,  she 
became  very  much  attached  to  me.  Soon  after  my 
last  visit  to  her  I  received  this  letter  from  her, 
which  I  will  read  to  you : 

"'Mr  DEAR  FRIEND  Miss  INCOGNITA:  I  regretted, 
more  than  I  can  express  to  you,  my  inability  to  have 
a  long  talk  with  you  when  you  were  here  the  last 
time.  I  had  much  to  say  to  you,  for  I  wanted  to 
enlist  your  interest  on  my  behalf  to  procure  my 
deliverance  from  this  gloomy  place.  I  will  now 
write  you  what  I  had  intended  to  say  to  you.  My 
maiden  name  was  Eidola  Mandeville,  and  in  1868  I 
married  a  Dr.  Dumas,  of  Chicago.' " 

Here  Lord  Eroslove  became  so  agitated  that  Miss 
Incognita  said  to  him: 

"I  fear,  my  lord,  you  are  not  comfortable;  pray 
arrange  yourself  in  an  easy  position." 


The  Events  After  the  Wedding      285 

"In  a  moment,  or  very  soon,  I  will  feel  better, 
thank  you,  dear  Miss  Incognita.  I  felt  a  recurrence 
of  another  phase  of  my  malady  of  last  night.  I  will 
try  to  quiet  myself.  Pray  read  on." 

"  'I  had  been  reared  in  affluence  and  luxury,  and 
had  always  been  very  happy.  I  loved  my  husband 
with  all  the  passion  of  life  itself,  and  thought  he 
loved  me.  Oh,  how  happy  were  those  early  days  of 
my  love  when  I  had  him  and  my  dear  mother.  But 
soon  after  our  marriage  my  mother  died,  leaving  me 
with  no  one  in  the  wide  world  to  cling  to  but  my 
husband.  When  my  mother  was  gone  I  gave  him  all 
that  additional  wealth  of  affection  which  had  been 
lavished  upon  her.  When  she  was  upon  her  death- 
bed, he  swore  to  her  that  he  loved  me  dearly,  and 
would  always  shield  me  and  protect  me.  I  seemed 
to  be  the  only  tie  to  bind  her  to  earth,  and  when  she 
felt  that  my  life  was  safely  in  the  keeping  of.  another, 
she  quickly  laid  aside  the  weight  of  her  burdens  and 
passed  away.  We  laid  her  body  to  rest  far  away 
from  all  who  knew,  or  loved  her  except  myself.  It 
w-as  my  joy  day  by  day  to  visit  her  lonely  grave, 
and — to  love  my  husband'—  Indeed,  my  lord,  are 
you  quite  ill?  I  fear  you  are  worse.  Let  me " 

"No,  no,  Miss  Incognita,  my  heart  is  tender,  you 
know,  and  the  lady's  sad  tale  touches  me  deeply. 
Pray  you  read  on.  It  may  do  me  good  to  let  my 

heart  dissolve  in  tears." 

A 

"  'My  husband  loved  me,  or  I  thought  so,  and  was 
the  idol  of  my  heart,  until,  from  some  mysterious 


286  Miss   Incognita 

cause,  he  began  to  grow  distant  toward  me  and  to 
neglect  me.  A  great  change  came  over  him,  and  he 
began  to  reproach  me,  because  I  could  bear  him 
no  children.  I  should  have  said  to  you  that,  in  the 
meantime,  my  health  seemed  to  have  become  wrecked 
on  account  of  an  organic  disorder,  and  this  condition, 
coupled  with  his  most  cruel  reproaches,  caused  me 
to  suffer  untold  agonies  and  indescrible  heartaches. 
Oh,  how  I  did  long  and  pray  to  pass  away  and  be 
with  my  beloved  mother!  He  next  used  my  condition 
as  a  pretext  to  inflict  upon  my  love  baser  cruelty  and 
indignity  than  he  had  visited  upon  my  heart.  He 
would  try  an  experiment  out  of  marriage  and  inflict 
the  first  fruits  of  it  upon  me,  by  having  me  com- 
pound the  lecherous  villany  of  his  scheme,  and  falsely 
call  myself  the  mother  of  this  venal  offspring.  When 
my  poor,  outraged  love  cried  out  against  it,  he  per- 
jured his  own  heart,  suborned  base  witnesses,  and, 
taking  me  altogether  unawares,  committed  me  to  the 
keeping  of  these  dismal  walls.  Here  I  have  been  for 
twenty  long,  weary  years,  waiting  and  waiting  for 
my  deliverance,  either  through  the  compassion  of 
death,  or  by  the  influence  of  some  friend  like  your- 
self. I  was  so  young  when  I  came  here,  and  now  I 
dare  not  look  at  myself,  for  I  am  haggard  and  gray. 
Yet,  it  seems,  neither  death  nor  liberty  will  ever 
come  to  me. 

"'I  have  never  heard  of  my  husband  since  he  left 
me.  I  have  never  seen  him  since  that  evening  in 
August,  when  he  drove  away  from  me,  and  my  eye 
followed  him  far  down  the  street,  and  I  was  left  the 


The  Events  After  the  Wedding      287 

first  time  in  my  life  alone.  Oh,  my  dear  friend, 
come  to  me  and  help  me.  Try  if  you  can  find  him, 
and  appeal  to  him  to  get  my  release  from  this  awful 
place.  He  put  me  here,  he  surely  could  have  me  set 
free.  Say  to  him,  I  will  never  trouble  him.  I  will 
not  try  to  find  him,  nor  have  him  love  me  any  more — 
for  I  am  now  old,  gray  and  haggard  and  he  could 
not  love  me  if  he  would.  For  so  long  I  have  heard 
the  moans  and  the  groans  and  the  wails  and  the 
shrieks  of  poor  demented  mortals  all  about  me,  that 
I  have  become  almost  as  they.  Oh,  come  to  me,  my 
friend,  for  I  am  so  weary,  weary. 

"Your  sad  friend,  MRS.  DUMAS." 

By  the  time  Miss  Incognita  had  finished  reading 
the  letter,  Lord  Eroslove's  hands  were  tightly 
clinched !  He  had  drawn  himself  up  to  a  rigid,  sit- 
ting posture,  and  his  whole  body  was  convulsed  as 
with  congestive  rigors.  She  heard  him  hiss  low 
between  his  teeth : 

"Then  she  lives!  Ah,  Swindle,  thou  perjured 
liar!" 

Next  he  uttered  aloud,  as  if  to  himself : 

"Ah,  the  wretch,  who  did  this,  let  his  heart  burst 
as  it  is  bursting,  and  break  as  it  is  breaking!  I 
will  go  at  once !  She  shall  be  free !  What  could 
have  possessed  the  wretch  all  these  years  that  h 
should  have  lived  unmoved,  and  she  enduring  a  living 
death !  What  could  have  so  deadened  his  conscience 
and  dulled  his  memory1?" 

Then  rising  from  his  seat  he  exclaimed: 


288  Miss   Incognita 

"Miss  Incognita,  I  may  be  able  to  assist  in  the 
deliverance  of  this  poor  lady.  I  will  go  at  once  to 
Chicago.  I  will  have  immediate  steps  taken  to  pro- 
cure her  release."  Then  he  said  aside  in  sotto  voice: 
"She  will  not  know  me  now.  I  can  fear  no  harm 
from  her.  I  will  go." 

"Pray,  Lord  Eroslove,  do  not  allow  yourself  to 
be-  so  wrought  up.  We  must  act  with  deliberation. 
In  the  condition  in  which  your  malady  now  affects 
you,  it  would  not  do  for  you  to  act  with  precipita- 
tion in  anything.  Besides,  I  am  daily  expecting 
another  communication  from  this  unfortunate 
lady.  Let  us  wait  for  that,  and  then  we  can  act  in 
concert  in  this  matter.  I  assure  you,  my  lord,  had  I 
known  that  the  sad  affair  would  affect  you  so  deeply, 
I  would  have  refrained  from  mentioning  it.  Yet  it 
should  cheer  your  spirits  to  know  you  are  so  much 
better  off  than  such  an  unfortunate  as  she.  I  did 
not  know  your  heart  was  so  tender,  and  so  easily 
affected,  my  lord.  Pray  now,  forget  it  for  the 
present,  and  let  us  be  gay.  Since  you  will  not  have 
Gamaliel  with  you  this  evening,  I  must  take  her 
place  and  make  you  happy.  Come,  let  us  have  some 
music !" 

And  she  took  his  arm  and  made  him  walk  with  her 
to  the  piano.  He  took  a  seat  by  her  and  she  played 
and  sang  as  only  a  woman  can,  who  is  a  genius,  who 
has  suffered  much,  and  whose  heart  is  aroused  to 
its  depths.  All  the  passion  and  love  which  can  be 
compressed  into  the  mighty  and  subtle  charms  of 
sound,  were  released  and  sent  forth  by  her  voice  and 


The  Events  After  the  Wedding      289 

fingers.  There  was  a  carnal  feast  of  passionate 
notes  and  amorous  melody,  and  his  heart  was  their 
prey.  He  had  always  been  easily  and  deeply  moved 
by  music.  Under  the  influence  of  such  music  as  this 
was,  rendered  by  this  inspired  woman,  whose  radiant 
person  and  tender  eyes  moved  him  in  conjunction 
with  the  wonderful  melody,  Lord  Eroslove  became 
at  once  transformed,  as  if  by  magic,  to  his  once  gay 
and  lascivious  self!  It  is  a  fact,  which  no  student  of 
the  human  emotions  can  deny,  that  when  the  feelings 
are  deeply  stirred,  they  move  quickly  and  easily,  like 
a  pendulum,  from  one  extreme  of  the  dial  to  the 
other.  This  is  especially  true  of  one  endowed  "with 
passionate  depths  of  feeling,  like  Lord  Eroslove. 
An  hour  had  not*  passed  since  the  time  when  he  was 
undergoing  the  tortures  of  the  damned  during  the 
sad  recital  by  Miss  Incognita,  and  yet  now  we  find 
him  reveling  in  the  amatory  delights  showered  upon 
him  by  this  beautiful  woman,  who  has  taken  such  a 
tender  interest  in  him. 

Miss  Incognita  realized  that  the  opportune  time 
had  now  come  to  carry  out  one  of  the  main  parts  of 
her  program,  and  she  set  herself  to  do  it.  She  knew 
the  heart  of  this  man  too  well  to  fail.  She  had  not 
nursed  her  revenge  this  long,  to  let  it  now  fail  and 
lag  from  the  lack  of  tact,  and  power  in  her  to  carry 
it  to  its  consumation.  All  the  forces  of  the  soul  and 
beauty  of  this  rare  woman  were  pressed  into  service 
by  her,  to  arouse  and  charm  the  nature  of  this 
lascivious  man,  and  bring  him  to  her  feet.  She 
knew  the  power  of  music  over  him,  and  it  served 


290  Miss  Incognita 

her  well.  For  an  hour  she  ravished  his  heart,  and 
stirred  his  soul  with  the  wide  range  of  passionate 
strains  which  were  included  in  her  varied  repertoire 
and  made  possible  by  her  wonderful  powers  of  im- 
provisation. When  she  had  finished,  and  turned 
toward  him,  she  saw  that  his  face  looked  as  it  did 
when  he  first  wooed  her  maiden  love  in  the  long  ago. 
He  gave  her  smile  for  smile  and  yielded  his  heart 
to  her  subtle  manipulations.  Strange  man !  But 
a  true  type  of  that  class  of  epicurean  sensualists, 
who,  day  by  day,  live  only  in  the  gratification  of  the 
senses  and  care  for  naught  save  the  pleasures  of  the 
hour  which  minister  unto  them. 


"hanged  Relations  291 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

CHANGED   RELATIONS. 

DINNER  being  announced,  Lord  Eroslove  and  Miss 
Incognita  went  in  to  partake  of  it. 

She  well  knew  just  what  suited  his  epicurean  taste. 
He  ate  and  drank  heartily.  His  spirits  had  reached 
high  level  by  the  time  dinner  was  over.  He  was 
like  a  gay  young  cavalier,  when  in  the  act  of  courting 
his  first  sweetheart.  He  was  a  strange  man,  whose 
master  passion  had  the  power  over  him  of  making 
him,  at  least  temporarily,  forget  the  sorrows  of  all 
other  emotions.  In  an  hour  such  a  man  can  rise 
from  the  depths  of  despair  to  the  elysian  heights  of 
passionate  joys — provided  some  sweet  angel  of  love 
but  be  present  to  beckon  him  upward.  Such  an 
angel,  and  a  radian t,  beautiful  one,  was  now  hover- 
ing over  him,  and  he  was  so  happy  that  he  was 
oblivious  of  all  things  else! 

They  strolled  from  the  dining  room  to  the  parlor, 
her  arm  in  his,  and  thence  to  the  library.  Here  she 
read  to  him  varses  from  Moore  and  Byron,  some  of 
those  rare  sonnets  of  Shakespeare.  She  allowed  him 
to  toy  with  her  jeweled  hand.  He  noticed  that, 
instead  of  reproving  him,  she  smiled.  An  hour  or 
so  before,  his  emotions  had  been  at  the  low  ebb,  now 
the  great,  joyous  tide  was  rushing  in !  He  was 
"thinking:  "Why  should  I  lose  such  love  as  this, 
and-  forego  such  joys  as  these,  because  just  behind 


292  Miss   Incognita 

me,  and  maybe  just  in  front  of  me,  are  shadows  and 
dark,  cheerless  valleys  of  despair  where  broods  of 
sorrows  and  dismal  death  love  to  lurk?  Shall  I  sac- 
rifice today  for  yesterday,  or  treat  lightly  its  joys 
on  account  of  what  tomorrow  may  bring1?  Shall  I 
sacrifice  this  beautiful  woman,  because,  in  the  won- 
derful and  circuitous  mesh  and  course  of  human 
events,  I  found  in  Gamaliel  a  daughter  instead  of  a 
wife?  No,  I  will  rather  make  her  love  me,  and  then 
she  will  help  me  get  rid  of  Gamaliel.  Here  is  indeed 
one  ray  of  hope  for  me!  A  woman  knows  far 
better  than  a  man  how  to  get  rid  of  a  woman.  Ah ! 
Such  a  happy  deliverance  she  will  make  it  for  me!" 
Miss  Incognita  was  thinking:  "Is  he  not  still  my 
lawful  husband,  though  he  knows  nothing  of.it? 
Does  not  my  knowledge  of  this  relation,  justify  me 
in  allowing,  and  encouraging,  his  amorous  atten- 
tions? Can  there  be- sin  in  my  dissimulation  of  love 
for  him,  when,  by  so  doing,  I  accomplish  my  long- 
deferred  purposes?  My  conscience  justifies  me  in 
my  course,  and  I  shall  pursue  it  with  vigor  to  the 
bitter  end !" 

This  moment  a  note  was  brought  to  him  from 
Gamaliel.  He  opened  it,  and  he  became  greatly 
agitated. 

"My  DEAR  HUSBAND:  Doubtless  the  shock  you 
experienced  from  the  discovery  yon  made  last  night 
of  the  unfortunate  mark  upon  my  person  has  by 
now  somewhat  passed  away. 


Changed  Relations  293 

"I  hope  the  intervening  time  has  ere  this  recon- 
ciled you  to  me.  I  feel  it  my  duty  to  inform  you  that 
when  I  was  a  child,  my  mother  says,  I  was  stolen 
away  by  some  wandering  gypsies,  and  when  I  was 
recovered  that  horrid  mark  was  found  upon  me. 
You  will  see,  there  is  no  disgrace  connected  with  it, 
and  your  love  for  me  will  doubtless  cause  you  to 
overlook  it.  You  must  not  imagine  I  carr.e  to  my 
mother's  this  morning  to  be  away  from  you.  I 
feared  you  were  horrified  at  the  discovery  you  made, 
and  it  makes  me  so  miserable!  We  understand  one 
another  better  now,  and  I  trust  you  will  feel  at 
liberty  to  come  and  spend  the  night  at  my  mother's. 
My  mother  will  take  no  excuses,  and  I  shall  expect 
you  at  once. 

"Pardon  me  for  not  seeing  you  when  you  called 
today. 

"Most  affectionately  your  wife,       GAMALIEL." 

A  sentence  of  death  would  not  Have  affected 
Lord  Eroslove  more  visibly  and  deeply  than  did  this 
note. 

He  sat  several  minutes  with  the  note  crumpled 
in  his  hand.  He  was  trying  to  think.  Finally  in  his 
despair  he  laid  the  note  in  Miss  Incognita's  lap, 
and  gasped  to  her,  as  his  head  fell  ripon  his  hands, 
"Read  it!" 

Miss  Incognita  read  the  note  and  then  asked  in  an 
interested  tone : 

"What  in  the  world  does  she  mean  by  'horrid 
mark,'  'your  discovery,'  and  'shock'?" 


294  Miss  Incognita 

He  answered  in  a  hollow  voice : 

"Pray  do  not  ask  me;  ask  her.  See  the  mark  for 
yourself." 

"Well,  that  certainly  is  strange!  Is  she  really 
deformed  in  some  way?" 

"To  me  horribly  so !" 

"Still  your  marriage  vow  was,  for  better  or  for 
worse,  and  you  took  her  with  all  her  imperfections. 
I  will  order  the  carriage  at  once." 

"Pray  do  not,  for  God's  sake,  do  not,"  he  cried,  and 
he  threw  his  arms  violently  about  her  waist,  and 
buried  his  face  upon  her  bosom.  She  did  not  repulse 
him,  but  replied  gently : 

"Why  not,  my  lord?  She  is  your  wife.     How  can 
you  refuse  her1?" 

"Because  I  have  discovered  I  do  not  love  her.  I 
love  you  and  only  you."  Then  he  fell  before  her 
upon  his  knees,  saying: 

"I  cannot  love  her,  I  can  never  love  another, 
since  I  have  known  you !  My  heart,  my  life  is  yours, 
and  only  yours,  and  I  must  be  free  from  her  that  I 
may  be  yours !" 

"Suppose  I  do  not  want  you,"  she  replied  coolly 
and  curtly,  entirely  changing  her  former  gentle, 
attractive  manner  toward  him.  "Do  you  imagine, 
my  lord,  that  I  could  be  so  base  as  to  accept  your 
love,  when  your  young  bride,  who  is  also  my  dear 
friend,  begs  for  you,  and  awaits  your  coming1?" 

"But  I  cannot,  I  will  not  be  hers!" 

"Yea,  my  lord,  you  are  already  hers." 

"Only  in  name,  I  swear  to  you.    I  can  never,  never, 


Changed  Relations  295 

know  her  bed!"  he   replied,   still   groveling   at   her 
feet. 

"True,  you  might  so  deny  her,  yet  that  \vould  not 
alter  your  legal  relation  to  her.  Think -of  your  honor, 
and  of  hers,  of  her  mother  and  family,  and  the  dis- 
grace you  would  inflict  upon  all!" 

"I  swear  to  you,  she  it  not,  she  cannot  be  my  wife 
— because,  she  is — my  daughter!"  he  uttered  with  a 
groan  that  seemed  to  rend  his  breast  and  burst  his 
heart. 

"Why,  my  lord,  your  mind  wanders — you  are 
besides  yourself — you  know  not  what  you  say.  I 
must  send  for  a  physician  for  you  at  once." 

"No,  do  not.  I  am  not  mad.  I  call  down  the 
vengeance  of  heaven  upon  my  head,  if  what  I  say  to 
you  it  not  true!" 

"Can  it  be  possible,  my  lord,  that  you  are  so  base 
as  to  formulate  such  a  cursed  design  as  this  to  win 
my  love?" 

"I  again  swear  that  what  I  say  to  you  is  true." 

"Past  believing,  my  lord.  Did  you  not  know  her, 
and  court  her,  for  months  before  you  married  her? 
Why  did  you  not  know  then  that  she  was  your 
daughter,  if  such  she  be? 

"Oh,  Miss  Incognita,  this  I  cannot  explain  to  you, 
though  I  swear  to  you,  I  know  she  is  my  daughter." 

"Passing  strange,  that  you  should  have  courted 
your  own  daughter  for  months,  and  then  married 
her,  and  yet  did  not  know  her  until  your  wedding 
night,  when  the  conjugal  bed  for  the  first  time  un- 
folds its  revelations!" 


296  Miss  Incognita 

"Strange  it  is,  I  confess,  Miss  Incognita,  but  it  is 
as  true  as  it  is  strange !" 

"Then  you  have  been  married  before  this  time,  my 
lord?" 

"I  can  only  answer  you  thus  far,  I  have  been,  but 
— ah — am — not — so — far — as  I — know." 

"Then  the  first  is  dead,  my  lord?" 

"Yes,  you  can  have  it  so." 

"Granting  that  what  you  say  is  true,  how  can  you 
ever  convince  Gamaliel  and  her  mother  of  it?  Does 
not  the  mother  know  her  own  child?" 

"For  the  present,  my  dear  Miss  Incognita,  let  us 
leave  that  problem  to  the  future.  Suffice  to  say,  I 
shall  not  see  Gamaliel  tonight.  I  love  only  you,  I 
throw  myself  at  your  feet!  I  will  not  leave  you! 
Oh  help  me!  For  God's  sake  help  me!" 

"Then  write  your  answer  to  her  note,  and  I  will 
have  the  servant  deliver  it." 

He  wrote  Gamaliel,  that  he  feared  she  had  written 
him  out  of  an  over-sensitive  regard  for  his  feelings. 
That  he  thought  it  best  for  her  to  have  a  quiet  night's 
rest  and  sleep,  and  he  would  see  her  on  the  morrow. 
He  addressed  her  as  "My  dear  Gamaliel,"  and 
signed  his  name  "Affectionately  yours,  Lord  Eros- 
love." 

Having  disposed  of  this  matter  he  again  turned 
his  attention  to  Miss  Incognita.  In  her  love  was  his 
hope  of  deliverance  from  Gamaliel.  Though  it  tad 
been  less  than  a  week  since  he  met  her,  he  had  con- 
ceived an  uncontrollable  passion  for  her.  No  time  was 
to  be  lost.  He  had  saved  himself  from  Gamaliel  to- 


Changed  Relations  297 

night — what  would  he  do  tomorrow  night,  unless  this 
beautiful  woman  extricated  him?  Suppose  he  acknowl- 
edged his  real  relation  to  Gamaliel,  and  could  prove 
it  to  her,  how  could  he  dare  to  face  her,  and  acquaint 
her  with  his  past  life,  and  tell  her  of  her  illegitimacy, 
and  of  his  cruelty  to  her  when  she  was  an  infant? 
He  would  not  even  think  of  such  a  thing! 

Until  late  in  the  night  he  pleaded  his  desperate 
cause  with  Miss  Incognita.  She  naively  repelled 
him,  or  coquettishly  attracted  him,  as  suited  her 
purpose.  She  humiliated  and  trampled  upon  his 
heart,  and  then,  when  she  liked,  she  coaxed  him  on. 
She  exercised  all  the  fascinations  of  her  passionate 
beauty  upon  him.  At  times  she  would  let  him 
fondle  her,  and  then  she  would  coldly  put  him  away. 

She  plied  him  with  cruel  questions  about  Gamaliel 
and  his  former  married  life,  and  tortured  his  heart 
until  it  bled,  and  until  'the  great  drops  clustered 
upon  his  brow ! 

Then  she  would  give  encouragement  to  his  forlorn 
hope,  and  the  volume  of  his  love  would  flow  back 
to  her  in  great  inrushing  tides. 

That  night  when  he  left  her  to  retire,  he  covered 
her  hand  over  and  over  with  kisses. 

When  she  reached  her  room  she  washed  off  these 
kisses,  which  see  had  endured  when  in  his  presence! 
"Ah,  but  I  must  endure  them  in  order  to  crush  his 
heart!"  she  muttered  to  herself,  as  she  purified  her- 
self from  all  his  contaminating  touches. 

The  next  morning  she  had  her  coachman  take  him 
for  a  drive,  and  after  luncheon  she  reminded  him  of 
the  promised  visit  to  Gamaliel, 


298  ivliss  Incognita 

It  was  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  when  Eros' 
train  arrived  in  the  city.  He  went  at  once  to  the 
Fifth  Avenue  Hotel,  where  he  made  a  hasty  toilet, 
and  then  drove  rapidly  to  the  Smith  mansion. 

Lord  Eroslove  had  preceded  him  by  fifteen  or 
twenty  minutes,  and  was  sitting  in  Gamaliel's  room 
nervously  fingering'  his  watch  chain  and  trying  to 
carry  on  a  conversation  with  her,  which  dragged 
along  in  a  desultory,  morbid  fashion. 

Mortal  man  could  not  have  felt,  nor  looked  more 
miserable  than  he. 

Gamaliel  had  on  a  pink  silk  robe  and  was  lying 
upon  a  lounge.  She  was  very  sad.  Lord  Eroslove 
was  just  reaching  the  point  in  his  conversation  where 
he  would  be  compelled  to  mention  the  matter  about 
which  Gamaliel  had  written  in  her  note,  when  all  at 
once  Eros  rushed  precipitately  and  excitedly  up  to 
Gamaliel's  room,  for  he  knew  where  it  was,  and, 
almost  running  over  Lord  Eroslove,  whom  he  scarely 
noticed,  he  gathered  the  beautiful  young  girl  in  his 
arms,  she  rising  joyously  from  the  lounge  to  meet 
him !  Her  whole  demeanor  and  aspect  were  trans- 
formed in  a  moment. 

The  most  gorgeous  spring  morning  could  not 
have  been  more  radiant  than  had  suddenly  become 
her  eyes  and  face !  Such  kisses  as  she  gave  Eros,  and 
such  embraces  as  he  gave  her,  almost  taught  new 
lessons  to  the  sensuous  old  veteran,  who  sat  observing 
them.  When  Eros  had  kissed  her  and  embraced  her 
many,  times,  he  then  deigned  to  notice  Lord  Eroslove, 
saying : 


Changed  Relations  299 

"I  do  not  ask  your  pardon,  sir,  but  rather  demand 
to  know  by  what  right  or  authority  I  find  you  sitting 
in  her  room?" 

Up  to  this  moment,  Lord  Eroslove  had  neve? 
known,  or  even  imagined,  he  had  a  rival,  and  a 
handsome  young  fellow  at  that,  for  Gamaliel's  hand. 
The  revelation  burst  upon  him  like  a  thunderbolt. 
He  did  not  know  this  young  man's  name  was  Eros, 
and  that  he  was  an  adopted  son  of  Miss  Incognita's. 
She  had  made  it  a  point  that  his  name  should  never 
be  mentioned  to  Lord  Eroslove.  The  appearance  of 
any  young  lover  of  Gamaliel's  just  at  this  juncture 
in  his  affairs  was  better  luck  than  he  ever  imagined 
possible  to  him.  So  instead  of  becoming  angry  he 
became  intensely  interested.  He  gathered  his  wits 
together  as  quickly  as  he  could  and  replied: 

"To  be  sure,  my  boy.     I  am  here  as  her  husband!" 

"And  I,"  exclaimed  Eros,  advancing  a  step  or  two 
toward  him,  "am  here  as  her  lover,  determined  to 
have  her  or  die  in  the  attempt.  I  will  kill  the  man 
who  dares  to  stand  between  me  and  her." 

A  spark  seemed  to  scintillate  from  Lord  Eros- 
love's  eye.  He  quickly  conceived  a  way  of  escape 
for  himself  from  his  cursed  entanglement.  So  he 
said : 

"My  young  fellow,  I  am  willing  to  act  fairly  in 
this  matter,  and  let  it  be  settled  by  her.  I  will 
stand  here  and  you  there.  Let  her  choose  the  one 
she  loves,  and  let  us  both  agree  to  abide  by  her 
choice." 

"Good!"  exclaimed  Eros,  who  had  planned  duels 


300  Miss  Incognita 

and  murderous  deeds,  and  plotted  all  sorts  of  dire 
calamities  against  this  haughty  nobleman.  Now,  to 
have  it  all  settled  thus  easily,  he  was  overjoyed. 

No  sooner  had  he  exclaimed  "Good!"  in  answer 
to  Lord  Eroslove's  proposition,  than  Gamaliel  rushed 
to  his  arms,  squarely  turning  her  back  upon  her 
husband. 

"Now,  my  young  man,"  said  Lord  Eroslove  quick- 
ly and  earnestly,  "I  want  to  give  you  and  Gamaliel 
a  piece  of  information,  which  I  might  never  have 
given  to  her  alone.  But  you  must  both  first  prom- 
ise to  do  two  things." 

"We   promise,"   they  both   replied. 

"First,  you  are  to  flee  together  at  once  from  the 
city.     Now,    when    I   tell   you    what   I   am   going   to 
disclose,  you  are  not  to  ask  me  another  question." 
"Agreed !"  they  both   exclaimed. 

"Then  my  disclosure  is  this:  My  marriage  with 
Gamaliel  is  null  and  void,  and  you  and  she  are  free 
to  act  as  you  please  in  the  matter  of  your  love. 
Remember  now,  ask  me  no  questions." 

He  left  them  at  once  and  drove  rapidly  back  to 
Miss  Incognita's  residence.  Within  an  hour  Eros 
and  Gamaliel  were  whirling  away  on  the  train  to- 
ward Philadelphia,  experiencing  more  of  pure  joy 
than  they  had  ever  felt  in  all  their  lives  put  to- 
gether. 

They  reached  Philadelphia  for  early  supper,  and 
registered  at  the  Chestnut  Street  Hotel  as  "Eros 
Incognita  and  wife,  New  York."  They  went  to 
supper,  and  chatted  and  laughed  over  old  times,  and 


Changed  Relations  301 

were  as  gay  and  happy  as  ever  young  love  could  be 
in  the  springtime.  When  they  went  to  their  room 
after  supper,  Eros  all  at  once  thought  of  these 
words : 

"The  first  time  you  and  she  are  alone!" 
He  felt  in  his  inside  pocket  for  Miss  Incognita's 
letter  and  quickly  drew  it  out.  He  read  Gamaliel 
the  inscription  on  the  envelope  and  then  tore  it  open. 
Within  was  a  note  to  him,  and  another  sealed  en- 
velope addressed  to  Gamaliel.  Without  waiting  to 
tear  open  the  envelope  addressed  to  her,  he  held 
up  the  note  to  him,  and  they  'both  simultaneously 
read  these  lines: 

"MY  DEAR  EROS:  As  I  have  often  hinted  to  you, 
you  are  not  my  own  son.  Neither  is  Gamaliel  a 
daughter  of  Mrs.  John  Smith.  The  enclosed  docu- 
ment will  disclose  everything  to  her,  which  it  is  neces- 
sary for  her  to  know.  I  have  a  similar  one  for  you, 
which  confirms  what  I  now  reveal  to  you  both: 

"You  are  brother  and  sister." 

At  once  the  floodtide  of  their  love  was  turned  into 
another  channel.  They  swore  they  would  never  love 
anyone  else,  but  would  devote  their  lives  to  each 
other.  We  leave  them  indulging  in  their  new-found 
ecstacy,  remarking  as  we  leave  them,  that  it  woald 
not  be  difficult  to  decide  whether  their  new-found 
love  were  not  sweeter  than  the  other  which  they  had 
lost. 


302  Miss  Incognita 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

THE    SOMNAMBULE. 

BEFORE  Lord  Eroslove  returned  from  the  Smith 
mansion,  Miss  Incognita  had  learned  of  Eros'  pres- 
ence in  the  city  and  of  his  elopement  with  Gamaliel. 

While  Lord  Eroslove  was  on  his  visit  to  Gamaliel, 
Miss  Incognita  had  spent  her  time  alone  in  that 
peculiar  long  room  on  the  third  floor  of  her  man- 
sion. We  now  enter  this  room  with  her.  We  find 
that  it  is  a  chemical  laboratory,  and  is  a  facsimile 
of  the  one  in  which  Eidola  Mandeville  bad  studied 
chemistry  under  the  tutelage  of  Dr.  Duma*  in  Chi- 
cago years  before.  There  were  the  same  fixtures, 
the  same  sofa  in  the  center  of  the  room,  and  lo ! 
the  same  wonderful  "Hydro-Electric-Vibratoners." 
But  these  were  carefully  protected  by  being  wrapped 
and  concealed  in  a  kind  of  gauze  cloth. 

Adjoining  the  main  laboratory  room,  and  con- 
nected with  it  by  a  door,  was  a  little  study  or  recep- 
tion room,  also  similar  to  the  one  which  adjoined 
the  laboratory  in  the  apartment  house  at  Chicago. 

An  electric  current  of  five  hundred  volts  brought 
from  the  wires  in  the  street  was  rushing  through  the 
vibratoners,  and,  when  in  the  laboratory,  one  could 
hear  its  dull  roar  and  smothered  hum.  The  shut-off, 
or  wheel  which  was  used  to  regulate  the  current,  had 
been  placed  by  Miss  Incognita  in  a  small  opening 


The  Somnambule  303 

in  the  wall,  so  that  it  was  not  visible  to  any  one's 
eye  except  her  own. 

Miss  Incognita,  expecting  Lord  Eroslove's  return, 
had  made  her  afternoon  toilet,  and  repaired  to  this 
room  next  to  the  laboratory,  giving  explicit  instruc- 
tions that  as  soon  as  he  returned  he  was  to  be  shown 
to  this  room. 

Her  toilet  was  a  long,  flowing  crimson  robe  of  silk, 
embroidered  with  ivy  leaves  of  the  same  color,  which 
was  fitted  close  to  her  waist  by  a  crimson  girdle. 
Her  neck  was  uncovered,  as  were  also  her  shoulders 
and  arms.  Her  hair  was  gathered  in  a  psyche  knot 
on  top  of  her  head,  and  in  its  folds  was  thrust  a 
keen  dagger,  whose  ivory  handle  was  a  decoration 
for  her  dark  hair. 

Thus  attired  she  reclined  upon  the  lounge  await- 
ing Lord  Eroslove's  appearance. 

She  had  not  long  to  wait.  He  came  into  the  room 
with  a  -bounding  step,  and  a  merrier  heart  than  he 
had  had  since  the  day  of  his  marriage.  Miss  Incog- 
nita knew  the  cause,  for  she  had  already  received  a 
note  from  Mrs.  John  Smith  informing  her  of  the 
flight  of  Eros  and  Gamaliel.  Lord  Eroslove  came 
right  up  to  her,  and,  without  rising  from  the  lounge, 
she  asked  him  to  take  a  seat  by  her  side.  She  ob- 
served how  curiously  and  interestedly  he  noticed  the 
furniture  of  this  room.  He  scanned  it,  and  looked 
about  the  room  generally,  a?  ''  ~Mgh  he  was  trying  to 
recall  some  old  scene.  The  .ath  is,  the  furnishings 
of  this  room  connecting  w/h  the  laboratory  \vere  the 
same  as  that  of  the  bedroom  of  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Dumas 


304  Miss  Incognita 

in  the  apartment  house  in  Chicago.  She  had  ar- 
ranged everything  in  the  same  order,  so  as  to  sug- 
gest that.  Therefore,  from  his  first  entrance  into  it, 
he  eyed  it  curiously. 

There  was  only  one  addition,  and  that  was  the 
vibratoner  which  was  suspended  from  the  ceiling  like 
a  gorgeous  chandelier. 

"What  causes  you  such  merriment,  my  jord,  and 
gives  you  such  a  bright  face?  You  must  have  found 
much  joy  with  Gamaliel,  and  so  belied  your  Arabian 
nights'  tale  you  told  me!" 

"It  is  still  better  than  that,  Miss  Incognita,"  he 
said*  drawing  his  chair  closer  to  her. 

"I  can't  conceive  what  would  be  better  than  to 
have  the  love  of  such  a  being  as  Lady  Eroslove  all 
to  one's  self,"  she  replied  feelingly. 

"Please  spare  me  the  appellation,  'Lady  Eroslove/ 
and  I  will  tell  you  all,"  he  gasped  with  a  pained  ex- 
pression. 

"Then  since  you  persist  in  denying  and  disowning 
her,  I  will  spare  you  this,  except  when  she  is  pres- 
ent." 

"That  is  the  good  part  of  it.  She  will  no  longer 
be  present,  and  you  can  no  more  deny  me  your  love 
on  her  account.  She  has  eloped  with  a  handsome 
young  man." 

"Lady — ah — Gamaliel  eloped  ?" 

"Yes,  madam,  that  is  the  straight  of  it.  I  was 
in  the  room,  in  her  bedroom,  almost  in  the  throes  of 
death,  and  not  knowing  what  to  do,  when  in  rushed 
a  handsome  young  fellow  about  her  age.  Each  one 


The  Somnambule  305 

embraced  the  other,  and  I  saw  they  were  too  happy 
to  be  separated.  So  I  gave  them  my  blessing,  and 
informed  them  that  my  marriage,  for  a  reason  I 
could  not  communicate  to  them,  was  null  and  void. 
Then  upon  my  advice  and  approbation,  they  fled 
to  some  trysting-place,  where  undisturbed,  they  can 
enjoy  one  another's  love.  Now  they  are  happy  and 
they  have  made  me  happy." 

"That  sounds  almost  past  belief,  my  lord !  There 
is  only  one  young  man  in  my  knowledge  whom 
Gamaliel  cared  for,  or  associated  with,  and  he  is  my 
adopted  son." 

"Have  you  an  adopted  son?"  he  asked  earnestly. 

"Yest,  he  is  away  at  college.  You  have  never 
seen  him.  I  did  not  think  it  right  to  sacrifice 
Gamaliel  to  him,  when  she  could  marry  you,  so  I 
forbade  his  suit.  But  Eros  had  such  a  passion  for 
her " 

"Eros?" 

"Yes,  my  lord;  what  excites  you?  He  was  my 
adopted  son." 

"Pray  describe  him !" 

"He  is  of  a  fine,  compact,  athletic  figure,  blue- 
black  eyes,  full  broad  face  and  dark  hair." 

"Upon  my  soul  this  description  fits  him. 

"Have  you  no  record  nor  document  to  identify 
him,  or  locate  his  origin?" 

("Could  there  be  more  than  one  Eros?"  he  mut- 
tered aside.") 

"You  sec,  ny  lord,  it  was  in  the  year  1873.  I  saw 
an  advertisement  in  the  New  York  World,  signed 


306  Miss  Incognita 

by  Steele  A.  Fortune,  Esq.,  desiring  some  proper 
person  to  adopt  a  male  child.  The  attorney  and  my- 
self agreed  upon  terms  and — but  what  affects  you  so, 
my  lord?" 

"Pray  tell  me  more !  Was  there  anything  else 
about  the  boy  that  attracted  your  attention1?" 

"He  was  a  fine,  comely  boy  in  every  way.  There 
was  one  unusual  thing  about  him,  and  that  was  a 
peculiar  mark  tattooed  across  his  breast." 

"Were  there  any  letters  or  words'?" 

"Yes,  these  words,  one  below  the  other,  'Eros — ' 
<Du— .' " 

"My  God!  Then  it  was  he,  and  my  son  has 
eloped  with  nry  daughter!" 

"Oh,  no,  perhaps  not,  my  lord.  You  surely  are 
delirious,  and  know  not  how  you  rave,  and  utter 
foolish  things!  See  this  document — I  got  it  from 
the  boy's  trustee — it  may  explain  all  and  relieve  your 
mind." 

"Then  quickly  let  me  see  it !" 

"Here  it  is." 

"So !  So !  So  !  I  see — it  confirms  all — it  is  Eros, 
my  own  son,  the  lover  of  Gamaliel,  my  own  daugh- 
ter!" And  the  guilty  man  swooned  and  fell  upon  the 
floor. 

Miss  Incognita  quickly  administered  brandy,  into 
which  she  had  dropped  some  of  the  lotion  given 
her  by  Gymp,  as  directed  by  him.  She  realized  that 
now  her  time  had  come  to  bring  her  revenge  to  its 
climax.  She  called  no  one  to  assist  her.  She  needed 
DO  one.  The  knowledge  she  had  from  old  Gymp  she 


The  Somnambule  307 

believed  was  all-sufficient  for  her.  He  was  her  prey, 
and  she  would  have  him  all  to  herself.  For  a  mo- 
ment he  lay  upon  the  floor  at  her  feet  in  an  un- 
conscious state. 

She  quickly  went  into  the  laboratory,  where  she 
made  certain  that  she  had  properly  adjusted  the 
regulator  of  the  vibratoner  in  the  recess  of  the  wall, 
so  that  it  gave  the  proper  current.  She  observed 
that  the  vibratoners  were  sending  their  strange  com- 
motion or  thrill  throughout  the  room.  Having  noted 
this,  she  removed  the  gauze  veils  from  about  all  the 
globes  and  retorts,  so  that  they  gave  forth  all  their 
marvellous  combinations  of  blending  and  dissolving 
colors.  The  old  Egyptian  had  told  her  to  use  the 
vibratoners  in  getting  and  keeping  her  control  over 
him  in  her  crucial  experiment, — for  her  victim  be- 
lieved in  the  human  emotions,  and  hence  he  would  be 
deeply  influenced  by  them  as  by  a  strong  suggestion. 

Leaving  the  laboratory  she  went  to  Lord  Eroslove's 
side.  He  was  sleeping  deeply.  The  lotion  has  done 
its  work — now  she  must  act.  She  lifted  his  prostrate 
head  upon  her  lap,  and  calmly  gazed  upon  every 
feature  of  his  face  and  every  part  of  his  body.  She 
was  already  satiated  with  victory  and  revenge,  but 
her  purpose  was  not  yet  fulfilled!  She  carefully 
recalled  all  of  old  Gymp's  instructions,  and  especially 
these  words:  "Young  Missus,  when  he  sleeps,  you 
place  your  hand  on  his  brow  and  keep  sayin'  dese 
words  ter  him" — and  she  repeated  the  words  over 
and  over  to  herself — "den  he  will  pass  from  de  nat- 
ural sleep  ter  de  sleep  of  Isis.  When  he  gets  inter 


308  Miss  Incognit 

de  sleep  of  Isis,  den  talk  ter  'im,  and,  widout  wakin', 
he  will  talk  ter  you — den  you  know  you  got  'im, 
and  can  ben'  'im  ter  your  will.  Say  ter  'im  dat  he 
can't  wake,  dat  he  can't  get  out  ob  dat  sleep,  till 
you  tell  'im.  He  can  open  his  eyes,  he  can  see  you, 
and  know  all  you  say  ter  'im  and  all  you  do,  but 
he  can't  git  outer  de  spell  till  you  let  him  out.  Dis  is 
so,  young  missus,  and  don't  you  doubt  hit,  and  don't 
you  be  skeered  ter  do  it."  Now  she  began  her  ma- 
nipulations as  the  old  Egyptian  had  told  her.  No, 
she  did  not  doubt,  she  had  full  confidence.  But  a 
few  minutes  elapsed  before  the  sleeping  man  began 
to  answer  her  and  talk  to  her,  though  he  did  not  wake. 
He  had  passed  into  a  state  of  somnambulism,  and 
was  wholly  in  her  power.  He  opened  his  eyes,  then 
raised  his  head  a  little,  and  seeing  Miss  Incognita 
bending  over  him,  he  reached  out  and  drew  her  hand 
to  his  lips  and  attempted  to  kiss  it.  She  diverted 
his  purpose  by  putting  her  hand  under  his  head, 
saying : 

"I  will  help  you.  You  feel  better,  and  must  get 
up  now  and  go  with  me." 

And  with  her  assistance  he  staggered  to  his  feet, 
and  leaning  heavily  upon  her,  was  led  into  the  lab- 
oratory. Having  reached  the  lounge  in  the  center 
of  this  long  room,  she  had  him  lie  down  upon  it. 
The  same  lounge! 

As  the  consciousness  of  somnambulism  took  pos- 
session of  him,  his  mind  did  not  seem  to  revert  to 
Eros  and  Gamaliel,  or  at  least  he  did  not  mention 
them  any  more.  All  the  trend  of  his  thoughts  and 


The  Somnambule  309 

emotions  were  directed  entirely  by  the  will  of  Miss 
Incognita.  He  was  in  a  conscious  state,  but  it  was 
not  his  normal  consciousness.  Any  one  who  has 
seen,  or  experimented  with  a  somnambule  will  know 
what  I  mean.  Such  an  one  has  plenty  of  mind  and 
emotion,  but  these  are  not  subject  fully  to  his  con- 
trol and  will,  but  are  dominated  by  the  suggestions  of 
the  operator,  who  for  the  time  being  has  control  over 
him.  Whatever  the  operator  suggests  to  the  som- 
nambule  by  word,  motion  or  action  takes  full  pos- 
session of  him  and  becomes  all-controilrig. 

A  strange  circumstance  or  fact  now  became  known 
to  Miss  Incognita.  It  was  this:  That  the  mind  of 
Lord  Eroslove,  the  somnambule,  was  acted  upon  by, 
and  he  interpreted  the  effects  of,  the  vibra  toners,* 
just  as  she  suggested.  Upon  her  suggestion  to  him, 
that  a  certain  rapidity  of  the  current  sent  through 
the  vibratoners  would  cause  such  and  such  feelings 
and  "thoughts  and  emotions  to  control  him,  the  re- 
sults were  sure  to  be  accomplished.  This  was  just 
as  Gymp  had  told  her. 

As  Lord  Eroslove  lay  upon  the  lounge  in  the  cen- 
ter of  the  room  she  stepped  to  the  wall  and  gave 
the  wheel  a  slight  turn,  which  so  regulated  the  cur- 
rent that  it  set  in  motion  those  gentle  vibrations 
which  stimulate,  and  at  the  same  time  soothe  the  emo- 
tional nature. 

*If  the  reader  will  revert  to  the  description  of  this 
apparatus  formerly  fjiven,  and  to  the  explanation  of  the 
theory  upon  which  its  action  and  construction  are  based, 
as  explained  in  detail  to  Miss  Eidola  Mandeville  by  Dr. 
Dumas,  he  will  the  better  understand  the  occurences 
about  to  take  place. 


3 1 0  Miss   Incognita 

Then  she  came  back  and  sat  down  by  Lord  Eros- 
love's  side,  at  the  same  time  making  suggestions  to 
him  intended  to  control  and  direct  his  thoughts  and 
emotions  in  accordance  with  her  will. 

She  said :  "Come,  my  lord,  you  must  listen,  and 
let  me  tell  you  some  good  news.  I  have  received  a 
second  letter  from  the  poor,  demented  lady,  con- 
cerning whom  you  felt  so  interested  yesterday.  I 
think  if  you  will  let  me  acquaint  you  with  some 
later  and  more  cheerful  news  concerning  her,  your 
mind  and  heart  will  be  diverted  and  will  be  very 
differently  impressed  from  what  it  was  and  is." 

He  answered  in  a  faltering  voice:  "You  mean  the 
poor  Chicago  lady  whose  sad  letter  you  read  me?" 

"Yes,  the  same,  my  lord." 

"I  had  forgotten  her.  Some  delicious  influence, 
which  seems  to  pervade  this  beautiful  room,  made 
me  forget  all  else  but  this.  It  would  be  bad  to 
again  intrude  the  sorrows  of  this  demented  lady. 
Suppose  we  leave  her  alone  for  the  present1?"  And 
he  reached  out  his  hand  and  laid  it  upon  the  folds  of 
her  crimson  robe. 

After  a  moment,  she  removed  his  hand,  and  walk- 
ing across  the  room  adjusted  the  current  through 
the  vibratoners  so  as  to  produce  the  state  of  the 
emotions  known  as  fear.  Then  she  came  back  and 
resumed  her  seat,  and  again  made  certain  suggestions 
to  him.  In  a  moment  or  two  an  uneasy,  troubled  ex- 
pression came  upon  his  face.  Soon  he  looked  at 
Miss  Incognita  somewhat  wildly,  saying: 

"Did  you  say  just  now,  the  demented  lady  was 
growing  worse?" 


Fhe  Somnambule  3 1  1 

"No,  my  lord,  I  said  I  had  received  a  later  and 
more  cheerful  letter  from  her,  and  I  desired  to  read 
it  to  you." 

"Then,  pray  read  it,  for  somehow  I  am  beginning 
to  feel  that  she  is  raving  at  me  for  my  neglect  of 
her.  I  am  full  of  fear!  I  know  not  what  it  is,  but 
I  should  know !  Pray  read  on !" 

"Then  you  must  promise  me,  my  lord,  that  you 
will  be  calm  and  quiet,  and  not  allow  another  phase 
of  your  recent  strange  malady  to  excite  you." 

"You  have  my  promise,  if  you  will  but  proceed, 
and,  as  I  read,  you  will  remember  all!  yes,  all — your 
memory,  my  lord,  will  be  perfect!  This  is  the  letter: 

"'Mr  DEAR  Miss  INCOGNITA:  Doubtless,  my  kind 
friend,  you  will  conclude  at  once  when  you  have 
read  this  letter,  that  I  am  really  demented,  and  not 
perfectly  sane,  as  I  before  declared  to  you.  This 
letter  will  seem  to  you  so  contradictory,  to  the  other, 
that  I  fear  you  can  construe  them  upon  no  other 
hypothesis  than  that  they  are  emanations  from  the 
disordered  brain  of  a  lunatic.  Yet  I  swear  to  you 
before  high  heaven,  my  kind  friend,  that  what  I  now 
write  you  is  true,  and  is  a  true  history  of  my  life. 
What  I  wrote  you  in  my  former  letter  about  my- 
self, my  mother,  my  marriage,  my  husband  and  his 
treatment  of  me  up  to  the  time  when  he  had  me 
adjudged  a  lunatic  and  deserted  me,  is  every  word 
the  truth.  If  you  could  ever  find  him  for  me  and  read 
that  letter  to  him  he  could  not  deny  it." 

At  this  point  Lord  Eroslove  clutched  the  back  of 


3 1 2  Miss   Incognita 

the  sofa,  and  raised  himself  upon  his  elbow,  and 
looked  as  if  about  to  spring  forward.  Miss  In- 
cognita laid  her  hand  gently  upon  his  shoulder,  say- 
ing: 

"Be  calm,  my  lord,  as  you  promised  me.  There 
is  no  cause  for  your  excitement  on  account  of  this 
unfortunate  lady.  What  fault  of  yours  was  it  that 
she  is  so  unfortunate1?" 

Upon  these  persuasions,  aided  by  the  gentle  though 
firm  pressure  of  her  hand  on  his  shoulder  and  sug- 
gestive words  spoken  by  her,  he  fell  back,  and  she 
proceeded  with  the  reading  of  the  letter: 

"  'I  will  now  give  you  my  true  history,  dating 
from  the  moment  when  my  eyes  followed  my  husband 
down  the  street,  when  he  disappeared  from  me  for- 
ever. He  had  no  sooner  passed  out  of  my  sight,  than 
one  by  the  name  of  Dr.  Swindle  came  into  my  room 
from  the  adjoining  chemical  laboratory,  and  show- 
ing me  an  order  of  court,  informed  me  that  he  had 
been  appointed  and  deputized  to  convey  me  to  the 
asylum  for  the  insane.  I  was  in  great  distress  over 
the  crushing  cruelty  of  my  husband,  and  the  base 
ruse  he  had  employed  to  get  rid  of  me,  and  at  the 
same  time  to  torture  my  loving,  innocent  heart !  For 
well  he  knew  with  what  a  desperate  passion  I  had 
loved  him.' " 

Here  Lord  Eroslove  groaned  and  tossed  upon  the 
lounge,  as  though  he  were  bound  with  cords  and  was 
trying  to  rend  them. 

"My  lord,  you  must  control  yourself!  What  is 
this  poor  lady  to  you?" 


The  Somnambule  313 

"Somehow,  I  feel  that  her  sorro-ws  are  haunting 
me.  Ah,  how  can  I  help  her  now?" 

"Be  quiet,  while  I  read  further,  and  you  may  find 
she  does  not  need  your  help,  my  lord." 

"Then  pray  read  on!" 

"  'When  this  perjured  Dr.  Swindle  came  into  my 
room  to  take  charge  of  me,  I  argued  the  point  of 
my  insanity  with  him,  and  so  enticed  him  into  the 
little  room  between  my  boudoir  and  the  laboratory, 
which  had  been  used  by  my  husband  for  his  study. 
This  room  had  two  doors,  one  opening  into  my  apart- 
ments and  one  into  the  laboratory.  As  we  entered  it, 
I,  unseen  by  him,  quickly  locked  the  door  to  my 
room  and  removed  the  key.  At  that  time,  I  was  nor- 
mally very  weak  and  emaciated  from  my  long  sick- 
ness, but  the  excitement  of  that  awful  day  and  the 
desperation  of  my  outraged  heart  seemed  to  render 
me  abnormally  strong.  I  managed  to  plant  myself 
between  this  Dr.  Swindle  and  the  door  leading  into 
the  laboratory.  I  saw  he  was  neither  a  handsome, 
nor  a  strong,  robust  man.  I  noticed  that  the  great- 
est development  about  him  was  not  his  muscle  but 
his  nose.' " 

(Here  Lord  Eroslove  nodded  his  head,  mutter- 
ing to  himself.)  "'When  I  saw  the  advantage  of 
my  position,  I  rushed  upon  him  and  seizing  him 
by  the  nose  hurled  him  backward  over  a  lounge,  and 
before  he  could  rise  to  his  feet  had  I  had  gone  into 
the  laboratory  and  locked  the  door,  making  D<r. 
Swindle  my  prisoner.  Soon  after  a  visitor  was  an- 


31  4  Miss  Incognita 

nounced.      It   was   my    dear   and   tried   friend,   Dr. 
Lindsay  -  '  " 

"Dr.  Lindsay,"  shrieked  Lord  Eroslove,  at  the 
same  time  throwing  himself  to  a  sitting  posture  on 
the  lounge,  and  glaring  in  an  excited  manner  about 
the  room  as  though  expecting  an  attack  upon  him. 

"Why,  yes,  my  lord,  that  is  the  name  given  in 
the  letter.  What  is  he  to  you?  Do  you  know  him?" 

"No;  but  you  see,  —  I  —  ah  —  you  —  may  —  read  on. 
You  seem  to  have  so  stirred  the  depths  of  my  mem- 
ory," he  muttered  to  himself. 

"But  the  letter  seems  to  excite  you  so,  my  lord, 
I  fear." 

"Still  you  must  read  on  !     Read  all  !  all  1" 

Then  Miss  Incognita  proceeded  : 


soon  as  I  glanced  at  his  card,  I  remembered 
that  he  had  visited  me  the  afternoon  before  upon 
my  request.  I  ordered  the  servant  to  show  him  up 
to  the  laboratory  at  once.  I  told  him  all  that  had 
been  done.  His  heart  was  deeply  moved  with  in- 
dignation, so  that  he  wept  like  a  child.  He  and  my 
husband  had  at  one  time  been  friends,  and  it  grieved 
him  beyond  expression  to  contemplate  the  depth  of 
infamy  to  which  Dr.  Dumas  had  descended  in  his 
conduct  toward  me.'"  (At  this  moment  Lord  Eros- 
love  buried  his  face  in  his  hands,  and  the  tears  trick- 
led through  the  cracks  between  his  fingers.)  "'To 
be  as  brief  as  possible  and  not  weary  you  with  tedious 
recital,  I  will  say  that  my  renewed  relations  with 
Dr.  Lindsay  resulted  in  three  important  transactions. 


The  Somnambule  315 

He  first  gave  vent  to  his  indignation  by  taking  charge 
of  Dr.  Swindle.  He  gagged  and  bound  him.  He 
took  from  him  the  papers  prepared  for  my  com- 
nrital  to  the  asylum  for  the  insane,  and  substituted 
in  them  the  name  of  Dr.  Swindle,  and  had  him  duly 
committed  in  my  stead.'  " 

"By  all  the  gods  of  earth  and  heaven  and  hell !" 
yelled  out  Lord  Eroslove,  raving  like  a  madman,  and 
seemingly  unconscious  of  his  surroundings  or  the 
presence  of  Miss  Incognita.  "Then  the  wretch  lied 
to  me." 

Miss  Incognita  arose  with  a  haughty  air,  saying 
indignantly : 

"You  are  beside  yourself  sir.  You  even  forget 
the  presence  of  a  lady.  What  can  you  mean  by  such 
conduct?  I  will  read  no  more  of  the  letter."  And 
she  walked  to  the  side  of  the  room,  crampling  the 
letter  in  her  hand.  As  she  passed  the  recess  in  the 
wall  she  turned  the  wheel,  changing  the  current  from 
that  producing  fear,  and  threw  on  the  full  current 
productive  of  that  "master  passion"  of  HIS  heart ! 
At  this  time  Lord  Eroslove's  face  was  the  picture  of 
despair  and  desperation.  But  he  said: 

"I  pray  you,  Miss  Incognita,  forgive  me  and  ob- 
serve not  my  pain,  but  read  on,  read  on !" 

But  before  beginning  to  read  she  made  sugges- 
tions to  him  corresponding  to  the  current  in  the 
vibratoners,  which  had  a  powerful  effect  on  him. 
Then  she  resumed  the  reading: 

"  'I  never  heard   of  Dr.   Swindle  but   once  there- 


316  Miss  Incognita 

after/  continued  tho  writer  of  this  strange  letter.  ;I 
was  in  the  vicinity  of  the  asylum  a  few  years  there- 
after and  called  there  to  inquire  about  him.  Among 
other  things  the  keeper  informed  me  of  letters  he 
wrote  to  one  whom  he  addressed  as  "Sir  Henry,"  and 
of  his  receiving  considerable  sums  of  money  from 
time  to  time  from  this  personage,  the  letters  and  re- 
mittances being  sent  to  the  asylum  from  his  former 
address  in  the  city.  This  man  Swindle  never  at- 
tempted to  procure  his  liberty,  for  two  reasons: 
First,  he  said  he  was  well  fed,  and  housed,  and 
clothed,  and  had  plenty  of  money  from  "Sir  Henry" 
— and  second,  Dr.  Lindsay  had  positive  proof  of 
some  crime  or  crimes  he  had  committed,  and  warned 
him  that  if  he  were  released  from  the  asylum,  he 
would  have  him  sent  to  the  penitentiary !  The  next 
important  result  growing  out  of  my  relation  with 
Dr.  Lindsay  was  as  follows :  I  had  been  a  devoted 
student  of  chemistry  and  Materia  Medica.  I  was 
refused  admittance  to  medical  colleges  because  of  my 
sex.  I  had  made  an  important  medical  discovery, 
which  I  had  intended  to  use  in  my  profession,  and 
also  to  make  known  to  the  profession  in  general. 
Failing  in  this,  I  talked  the  matter  over  with  Dr. 
Lindsay,  and  it  was  decided'  that  I  should  patent  my 
discovery  and  he  would  act  as  my  partner  and  agent 
in  the  manufacture  of  it.  I  gave  my  discovery  the 
name  of  "Chemico-Medical  Compound."  He  took  a 
third  interest,  and  I  two-thirds,  and  he  relieved  me  of 
all  the  work  of  its  manufacture  and  sale.  Before 
leaving  this  point  I  will  say  that  our  profits  have 


The  Somnambule  3 1  7 

been    exceedingly    large    and    our    capital    is    now 
$1,000,000.' " 

At  this  juncture  Lord  Eroslove  arose  from  the 
sofa,  and  began  to  pace  the  floor,  looking  curiously 
about  him  and  at  Miss  Incognita,  and  muttering, 
"Strange,  strange,  'tis  passing  strange!"  She  con- 
tinued reading  the  letter,  after  noting  well  that  he 
was  still  somnambulistic: 

"  'When  Dr.  Lindsay  and  I  had  completed  our 
business  transactions  he  then  informed  me  of  an- 
other discovery,  one  he  had  in  store  for  me  and 
that  was  that  I  could  be  cured  of  my  disease  in  the 
hospital  of  the  great  Dr.  J.  Marion  Sims,  of  New 
York 

"  'I  determined  to  put  myself  under  his  treatment 
at  once.  I  remained  in  his  hospital  a  year.  He  not 
only  removed  my  old  trouble,  but  he  built  up  my 
whole  system  to  a  marvelous  degree. 
"  'Life  became  a  new  revelation !  I  went  into  this 
hospital  a  suffering  wreck  of  a  girl,  'by  the  name  of 
Eidola  Mandeville,  the  one-time  wife  of  a  Dr.  Dumas, 
noic  known  as  Lord  Eroslove,  and  I  came  out  a  re- 
neiced,  transformed  woman,  known  as  Miss  Incognita, 
u-ho  now  stands  before  you!'" 

As  Miss  Incognita  finished  reading  the  letter,  she 
stood  upright  before  him,  displaying  all  the  wonder- 
ful energy  and  beauty  of  her  face  and  person. 

Then  looking  him  full  in  the  eyes  she  exclaimed : 

"Do  you  remember  the  time,  sir,  when  you  spurned 
my  love  and  my  prayer,  and  so  cruelly  trod  upon 
my  heart?  When  I  warned  you,  and  swore  to  you, 


3 1 8  Miss  Incognita 

that  we  should  meet  again,  and  that  the  unforgetting 
fury  of  despoiled  love  should  make  a  reckoning  be- 
tween us?  I  am  that  woman!  sir,  and — you  remem- 
ber!— you  remember!" 

He  crossed  his  hands  in  front  of  him,  and  his 
head  was  bowed  upon  his  breast.  He  remained  thus, 
confounded  and  bewildered,  uttering  not  a  word. 

The  multiple  tints  of  the  vibratoners,  changing  and 
blending  with  infinite  rapidity  and  gorgeousness, 
filled  the  room.  Lord  Eroslove  now  knew  all.  His 
eye,  which  a  moment  before  was  blind,  now  could  see. 
He  never  would  have  recognized  in  Miss  Incognita, 
with  all  her  magnificent  impersonation  of  health, 
strength  and  womanly  beauty,  the  frail,  emaciated, 
neglected  girl-wife  whom  he  had  deserted,  and  whom 
he  considered  either  dead  or  an  inmate  of  the  asylum. 
He  could  never  have  imagined  this  was  she! 

When  he  beheld  her,  minor  disclosures  came  back 
to  him  rapidly  and  readily.  He  now  recognized  at 
once  his  laboratory,  and  its  appointments,  which  he 
had  so  generously  given  to  Dr.  Swindle.  He  beheld 
again  the  marvellous  glowing  of  the  vibratoners. 

He  felt  its  overpowering  influence,  and  knew  that 
those  vibratoners  appealed  to,  and  called  forth  his 
master-passion.  He  was  but  a  few  feet  from  where 
she  had  risen.  She  knew  from  his  face,  from  the 
peculiar  fixed  expression  of  his  eyes,  and  the  out- 
ward display  of  his  emotions,  that  he  was  conquered 
and  was  her  prey.  He  stretched  out  both  his  arms 
toward  her  in  a  pleading,  piteous,  affectionate  way, 


The  Somnambule  319 

saying:  "My  wife!    My  wife!  again  my  wife!  my 
beautiful  wife!" 

"Ah !  You  seem  to  grow  still  more  beside  your- 
self !  I  was  once  your  wife,  but  will  never  again  be 
so !  Else,  why  should  I  have  labored  and  planned 
and' waited  these  twenty  years  for  this  day!" 

"You  have  planned  and  waited  for  my  coming  this 
day,  my  sweet  wife!  Though  I  did  not  seek  you, 
I  am  here  to  give  myself  again  to  you,  and  to  press 
.you  to  my  heart  in  return !"  Having  said  this  he 
advanced  toward  her.  He  was  stirred  to  the  foun- 
dations of  his  being,  and  his  overpowering  emotion 
shook  his  frame. 

"You  should  know,  my  lord,  that  love  once  crushed 
to  earth,  unlike  truth,  can  never  rise  again.  You 
once  possessed  my  love  and  came  to  consider  it  a 
worthless  thing,  and  threw  it  away.  I  have  never 
taken  the  trouble  to  find  it  for  you." 

He  drew  still  nearer  to  her  and  said :  "Then  I  will 
take  you  even  without  your  love !  Upon  my  knees 
I  pray  you  forgive  and  love  me !" 

"Lord,  Eroslove,  I  say  to  you  again,  never,  never!" 

"But  let  me  plead  with  you.  Let  me  confess  all 
to  you,  and  beg  your  forgiveness !" 

"No,  never,  sir!" 

"No,  never,  Eidola,  never!  How  sweet  to  call  your 
sweet  name  again!  Eidola!  Oh,  to  know  that  it 
again  is  mine!  It  must  be  mine.  I  can  never  let 
you  go!  Can  I  lose  such  beauty  as  yours?" 


320  Miss  Incognita 

"Yea,  my  lord,  you  lost  my  beauty  once — of  a 
frail  order,  'tis  true — but  when  that  departed  from 
me,  you  cast  me  off!  Oh,  you  know  how  cruel  and 
infamous  it  was!" 

"I  swear  I  will  make  amends  for  all!"  He  fell 
upon  his  face  before  her,  and  seived  the  hem  of  her 
dress,  to -put  it  to  his  lips,  but  she  drew  it  from  him. 

Then  all  at  once,  under  the  influence  of  suggestions 
she  had  made  to  him,  he  became  desperate  in  his 
passion  for  her.  He  arose  and  tried  to  seize  her  in 
his  arms,  saying:  "You  are  my  wife  de  jure,  and  you 
shall  be  so  de  facto.  What  is  lawfully  mine,  I  will 
possess  and  enjoy!" 

But  as  he  rushed  at  her  she  evaded  him.  Having 
once  given  way  to  his  passion,  and  the  overpowering 
influence  of  the  vibratoners  set  upon  him  in  accord- 
ance with  her  potent  suggestions,  he  quickly  became 
desperate.  He  chased  her,  and  bounded  at  her,  until 
she  was  driven  into  a  corner  of  the  room.  There  she 
stood  at  bay  like  a  tigress  driven  to  her  lair!  Her 
beauty  had  become  more  radiant  by  the  excitement 
she  was  undergoing.  Lord  Eroslove  thought  of  that 
first  love  she  gave  him  years  ago  under  the  influence 
of  these  vibratoners,  in  these  same  surroundings,  and 
the  memory  of  that  urged  him  fiercely  on.  lie  cried 
out :  "Eidola,  my  wife,  I  will  have  you!"  As  he 
rushed  upon  ber,  she  drew  from  her  hair  the  'bright 
blade  concealed  there,  and  flashing  it  before  his  face, 
cried  • 


The  Somnambule  321 

"Stand  back,  sir,  or  you  die!" 

He  stopped  short,  aghast  at  her  courageous  audac- 
ity. She  held  her  blade  ready  to  strike,  and  he 
saw  she  meant  to  do  it.  In  the  intensity  of  his  pas- 
sion for  her,  which  she  had  evoked,  he  cried  out: 

"Then  if  you  will  not  love  me,  this  overpowering 
influence  must  stop.  If  it  continues  I  will  have  your 
love  or  die!" 

In  a  moment  he  rushed  to  the  center  of  the  room 
where  the  wires  were  formerly  connected  in  Ms 
laboratory  with  the  wheel  or  regulator  which  con- 
trolled and  shut  off  the  current.  He  could  not  find  it. 
He  rushed  about  the  room  seeking  for  it.  It  was 
hidden  in  the  recess  in  the  wall.  He  then  rushed 
back  to  where  the  electric  wires  were  connected  with 
the  apparatus  in  the  center  of  the  room.  Miss  In- 
cognita watched  him  and  his  movements  with  eyes, 
that  glared  like  an  eagle's !  His  whole  frame  was  in 
a  quiver  of  passionate  excitement.  Doubtless,  think- 
ing that  the  wires  carried  simply  the  small  galvanic 
current  he  formerly  used,  he  seized  one  in  each  hand 
to  snatch  them  from  their  connection,  and  lo !  The 
deadly  current  of  five  hundred  volts  passed  through 
his  body!  He  could  not  turn  loose  the  wires!  In  an 
instant  his  whole  body  was  writhing  in  contortions, 
and  the  blue  flames  enveloped  him!  His  body  was 
drawn  together!  His  arms  and  legs  were  doubled 
into  loops !  His  head  was  thrown  back  upon  his 
spine !  His  mouth  gasped  open  and  his  protruding 
tongue  was  a  consuming  fire !  Before  assistance  came 


322  The  Somnambule 

he  was  a  charred  corpse  horrible  to  behold!  Miss 
Incognita  walked  from  the  room  with  a  calmness 
spread  over  her  beautiful  face,  which  had  never  been 
seen  there  before!  The  thorn  had  been  drawn  from 
her  heart! 

Had  she  or  not  planned  this  terrible  electrocution 
as  a  part  of  her  revenge? 


THE   END 


103  0 


THE  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARY 

il--  tx  ••'   •»  last  r1  :*n>  - 


THE  LIBRARY 


^T»f>T' 


)42m 

nit  a 


X3 

C42m 

1904 


